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Dateline: 11th May, 2008 News from the Midlands
Theatre on the right track with Poliakoff revivalNottingham Playhouse is staging what's thought to be the first professional revival in this country of a play by the UK's foremost television dramatist, Stephen Poliakoff. Breaking the Silence, commissioned by the RSC, premiered at the Barbican Pit in 1984 and the charismatic central character is based on Poliakoff's grandfather who pursued his scientific dreams despite continuing opposition. The play recounts the journey of a resourceful family as they criss-cross Lenin's Russia in a dilapidated railway carriage. Somehow they contrive to retain the appearance of being affluent. Breaking the Silence "immerses the audience in an historical situation so remarkable that it would seem fantastical were it not grounded in fact. To borrow another Poliakoff title, the play's characters are quite literally 'caught on a train', with the action confined to the interior of a run-down imperial carriage." Nikolai, the charismatic head of the family, pursues his ambition to be the first in the world to record sound on film. While the nation descends into turmoil, his family discover their own powers of invention, with his wife Eugenia falsifying the records he's ordered to keep. But the rise of Stalin brings matters to a head and son Sasha plays a decisive role as Nikolai is caught between fleeing the country and fulfilling his ambition. Philip Bretherton, perhaps best known as Alistair Deacon in the BBC TV sitcom As Time Goes By, plays Nikolai. Diana Kent is Eugenia, Celia Meiras is the formidable maid Polya and Ilan Goodman is Sasha. Owen Aaronovitch plays Verkoff while Jim Findley and Jonathan Wright, both familiar to Nottingham Playhouse audiences, are two guards with a pivotal role in the family's fortunes. Esther Richardson, associate artist at the Soho Theatre in London, directs. Jamie Vartan contributes a set including a railway carriage "capable of some striking surprises". Breaking the Silence runs at Nottingham Playhouse from Friday (May 16th) until Saturday, May 31st.
Buxton Festival prepares for bumper yearTicket sales for the Buxton Festival are likely to smash last year's record thanks to a 20% rise during the priority booking period. Friends and patrons spent more than £38,000 between March 7th and April 3rd on tickets for the festival's 30th year. Buxton has built its reputation on being the UK's foremost festival for rarely performed opera. It draws audiences from all over the country and overseas for works they can't see elsewhere. Last year the Festival won the Manchester Evening News theatre award for best opera for its production of Donizetti's Roberto Devereux. The Festival contributed more than £3m to the local economy. Chief executive Glyn Foley said, "We've been thrilled to see how many tickets have been sold so far. We've extended the Festival by two days to keep up with demand, so it looks like we're in for a bumper year." Further details are available at www.buxtonfestival.co.uk.
Young people have connections in NorthamptonThe National Theatre's New Connections Festival - "the world's most ambitious new writing programme for young actors creating theatre" - returns to Northampton's Royal and Derngate this week. The Connections programme started in 1993 in response to widespread demand for challenging new plays for young people to perform. From Wednesday to Saturday Royal and Derngate will be showcasing a selection of productions performed by a cross-section of schools and youth theatres from around the region. The plays this year include works by Bryony Lavery, Frantic Assembly, Nigel Williams and Abi Morgan. Royal and Derngate's youth theatre will be staging Jack Thorne's Burying Your Brother In The Pavement. More information is available at www.ntconnections.org.uk.
Matthew's not afraid of stepping onto the Garrick stageA classic play starring Matthew Kelly and the return of Ian Dickens Productions with a thriller and a farce are among the highlights in the Lichfield Garrick season running from June to December. The programme includes:
Auditions set for Stafford summer schoolStafford Gatehouse Theatre is to hold auditions next Sunday (May 18th) for its summer school production of Honk!, based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Ugly Duckling. Eighty places are available for the three-week school. To qualify children must either live in Stafford borough or attend school within the borough. Auditions for seven- to 12-year-olds start at 9.30am and for 13- to 18-year-olds at 2pm. The summer school begins on Monday, July 21st and runs until Saturday, August 9th, with Honk! being performed on the final four days on the Stafford Gatehouse main stage. The cost of a summer-school place is £150; some concessions are available. More information is available from the Gatehouse on 01785 253595.
What's on this week
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