THINGS TO DO, PEOPLE TO SEE AmbassadorTickets.com

The Chosen One

Jodie Prenger

Over The Rainbow’s

Lauren Samuels

ROAR! Disney’s

Lion King

HOTLIST! Party pieces Birdsong’s Ben Barnes Winter walks

AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP WINTER 2010

Panto Perfection

Pamela Anderson Cilla Black Barbara Windsor

of the

Exquisite designer gifts alongside

gourmet food and wine at

the Spirit of Christmas Fair 3 - 7

Nov at Olympia, London. More

information on 0871 230 1089

best

The first major UK exhibition in

50 years dedicated to the painter

Paul Gauguin is at Tate Modern

this Autumn. 100 works including

important loans look at the life

and art of the post-Impressionist.

Sept 30 - Jan 16 2011.

Call 020 7887 8888.

10 YEARS OLD! Celebrity

interviewees from Madonna

to Ewan McGregor,

backstage news, theatre

gossip and so much more.

The Ambassador Group’s

own magazine reflected a

decade that has seen the

group grow from 16 to

39 venues. Did you know

you can download

the magazine? Go to

AmbassadorTickets.com

Glamour and tragedy at the

Enchanted Palace - a spectacular

exhibition merging fashion, art

and theatre tells the stories of

Kensington Palace and the lives of

its most famous inhabitants. Expect

installations from designers such as

Vivienne Westwood. Until Jan 2012

at Kensington Palace. hrp.org.uk

No Christmas list would be

complete without it!

Waving their magic wands

over the festivities in 2010

are Cilla Black, Pamela

Anderson, Barbara

Windsor and more.

AmbassadorTickets.com

for details.

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Gold and black

bangles £14

monsoon.co.uk

1

2

3

1 Disney’s The Lion King

2 Matthew Kelly in Spamalot

3 Grease

Panto Glitterati 1Casting a spell this Christmas:

Cilla Black, Barbara Windsor,

Pamela Anderson - and more!

In Flanders Fields 3A journey of love and loss

in Birdsong

The One That We Want 5Wonder what she’s doin’ now?

Lauren Samuels

What’s On in London 7

Competition 8Champagne, tickets, CDs and

more in this rock n roll bonanza

Pride Of The Lyceum 9Careful - they bite! Big cats

in Disney’s Lion King

Lady Ha Ha 11Time for a titter with Jodie Prenger

in Monty Python’s Spamalot

Sweet Sensation 13A success story - with a touch of pink

Aylesbury Stars 14A celebrity debut for Aylesbury

Waterside Theatre

Celebrate! 15Pretty, shiny, party - get the look

Destinations with 17SparkleMagic, festive days out

in the heart of England

AMBASSADOR GROUP PRODUCTIONS

AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP LONDON THEATRES Apollo Victoria 0844 871 7615 Comedy Theatre 0844 871 7622 Donmar Warehouse 0844 871 7624 Duke of York’s Theatre 0844 871 7623 Fortune Theatre 0844 871 7626 Lyceum Theatre 0844 871 7615 Phoenix Theatre 0844 871 7629 Piccadilly Theatre 0844 871 7630 Playhouse Theatre 0844 871 7631 Savoy Theatre 0844 871 7687 Trafalgar Studios 0844 871 7632

AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP REGIONAL THEATRES Aylesbury Waterside Theatre 0844 8717 607 Theatre Royal Brighton 0844 8717 650 Churchill Theatre Bromley 0844 8717 620Kings Theatre Glasgow 0844 8717 648 Theatre Royal Glasgow 0844 8717 647 Milton Keynes Theatre 0844 8717 652Richmond Theatre 0844 8717 651 Regent Theatre & Victoria Hall Stoke-on-Trent 0844 8717 649New Wimbledon Theatre & New Wimbledon Studio 0844 8717 646 Ambassadors Cinemas Woking 0844 8717 643 New Victoria Theatre & Rhoda McGaw Theatre Woking 0844 8717 645Online booking at AmbassadorTickets.com

Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham 0844 847 2293 Bristol Hippodrome 0844 847 2325 Edinburgh Playhouse 0844 847 1661Leas Cliff Hall Folkestone 0844 847 1776 Grimsby Auditorium 0844 847 2426 Empire Theatre Liverpool 0844 847 2525Palace Theatre & Opera House Manchester 0844 847 2484 New Theatre Oxford 0844 847 1588 Southport Theatre and Convention Centre 0844 847 2321 Sunderland Empire 0844 847 2499 Princess Theatre Torquay 0844 847 2315York Grand Opera House 0844 847 2322 Online booking at atgv.co.uk

Jessamy Hadley Editor Pat Westwell, Mark Shenton, Benedict Nightingale, Al Senter, Jasper Rees, Victoria Kingston, Becky Martin, Julie Jones, Neena Dhillon, David Bradbury, Ben Prudhoe, Barry Grant Contributors Shaun Webb Design Design and Art Direction John Good Print

The Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd 39 - 41 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H OAR

The views expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd.

The Ambassador Theatre Group

Interview

Panto GlitteratiWhy Cilla Black and Barbara Windsor can’t resist the lure of fairy dust

1

Interview by

Mark Shenton

Cilla has lived locally for 40 years

now, and says, ‘I’m well ensconced.

All my family still live up north, but

they love coming down here for

the holidays. I adore Christmas, but

I couldn’t give up on the chance

to be a part of other people’s

Christmases, too. It will be hard

work - it IS hard work! I

get into the theatre

at half past ten,

maybe eleven,

in the morning,

and then don’t

leave till eleven at

night. But I love the

lightheartedness and

the unexpectedness of

This Christmas will, unbelievably,

mark the 60th anniversary of

Barbara Windsor’s stage debut;

and it is also Cilla Black’s 47th year

in the business. For these most

beloved entertainers, appearing

in two star pantomimes this

December will bring them full

circle to where their theatrical

careers began.

Two years ago, Cilla was

persuaded to return to panto at

the Liverpool Empire, after a gap

of some 17 years, ‘I’d cut my milk

teeth on being Little Red Riding

Hood at Wimbledon, and my forte

after that was playing principal

boy, which I happily did for a

million years! But obviously I’m

too old to play principal boy now,

so I’m having my second stint as

fairy godmother.’

But Liverpool, she thought, was

going to be her panto swansong.

‘I had no intention of ever playing

in pantomime again after that, but

then I was totally persuaded to do

Cinderella in Aylesbury. There are

two reasons: in this day and age

I find it very exciting that there’s

a new theatre opening,’ she says

of Aylesbury’s new Waterside

Theatre. The second reason she’s

doing it is even more personal;

‘It’s my local theatre, so I’ll be

able to stay at home!’

AND

PRESENTED BY

Supporting the Theatres for Theatres Appeal in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital www.gosh.org© 2007 Great Ormond Street

Hospital Children’s Charity.

Registered charity no 235825

it, and the fact that the audience

joins in as well. Panto is the only

thing where they can do that and

be part of the show.’

For Barbara Windsor, starring as

Fairy Bowbells in Dick Whittington

at the Bristol Hippodrome, is

bringing her back to her first love.

‘It was my first job, when I was

13, and I was very lucky - because

I was little, I was on the end of

the line, and so you get the lines

and my first one was, ‘Here comes

the Baron’.’ Panto played a big

role in her life for many years ‘My

favourites were at Richmond. I

did Aladdin there once, and it was

during a time when my husband

got into trouble, so I was visiting

Brixton prison in the mornings,

then doing the matinée, and the

audiences were so great - they

knew what was happening to

me, but I got a round of applause

when I entered!’

She goes on, ‘I love the theatre

- it’s one of the things I left

EastEnders for, I wanted to go back

to the theatre. I loved EastEnders,

too, but I found that I loved it

too much and I couldn’t switch

off from it.’ Now she’s looking

forward to surrendering herself to

the joys of panto again: ‘It’s often

the first time children get to see

live theatre. Nowadays, they’ve

got so much to entertain them - in

my day, you went out and played

hopscotch in the street - but even

now, with all that technology

they’re exposed to, it’s wonderful

to see them sitting there, gasping

and laughing!’

Next to the veterans Cilla and

Barbara, a younger generation of

performers are also discovering

the joys of appearing in panto.

Last year, Pamela Anderson -

internationally known for her role

in Baywatch - made her panto

debut as the Genie of the Lamp,

and this year will be returning to

Aladdin at the Liverpool Empire. ‘I

get some really bizarre approaches

and when my British-born

manager told me I’d been offered

a pantomime I thought he meant

miming, you know, walking an

2

Aylesbury Waterside TheatreCINDERELLAStarring Cilla Black with Gary Lucy10 Dec 2010 - 9 Jan 2011Box Office 0844 871 7607

Theatre Royal BrightonCINDERELLA The Musical17 Dec 2010 - 16 Jan 2011 Box Office 0844 871 7650

Bristol Hippodrome*DICK WHITTINGTONStarring Barbara Windsor,Eric Potts & Andy Ford 11 Dec 2010 - 9 Jan 2011Box Office 0844 847 2325

Churchill Theatre, BromleyALADDINStarring Melinda Messenger, Don Gilet & Chris Till 3 Dec 2010 - 9 Jan 2011Box Office 0844 871 7620

King’s Theatre, GlasgowSNOW WHITEStarring Darius Campbell 3 Dec 2010 - 9 Jan 2011Box Office 0844 871 7648

Liverpool Empire Theatre*ALADDINStarring Pamela Anderson with Les Dennis 10 Dec 2010 - 2 Jan 2011Box Office 0844 847 2525

Manchester Palace Theatre*SNOW WHITEStarring Tina O’Brien & Andy Devine 3 Dec 2010 - 2 Jan 2011Box Office 0844 847 2484

Milton Keynes TheatreDICK WHITTINGTONStarring Luke Perry & Joanna Page with special guest stars Stavros Flatley 10 Dec 2010 - 16 Jan 2011Box Office 0844 871 7652

Richmond TheatreSLEEPING BEAUTYStarring Brian Blessed, Tim Vine & Sophie Isaacs 10 Dec 2010 - 16 Jan 2011Box Office 0844 871 7651

Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-TrentROBINSON CRUSOEStarring Jonathan Wilkes & Jennifer Ellison 9 Dec 2010 - 9 Jan 2011Box Office 0844 871 7649

New Wimbledon TheatrePETER PANStarring Louie Spence 10 Dec 2010 - 16 Jan 2011Box Office 0844 871 7646

New Victoria Theatre, WokingSNOW WHITEStarring Gareth Gates, Claire Sweeney & Cliff Parisi11 Dec 2010 - 16 Jan 2011Box Office 0844 871 7645

Full casting details & online booking at AmbassadorTickets.com

*Online booking at atgv.co.uk

invisible dog like Marcel Marceau.

Once he’d explained, it sounded

fun to me.’

When she first stood on the

stage of the theatre her suspicions

were confirmed: ‘I felt its history...

but it’s a good thing I have never

taken myself seriously in the first

place; having fun has always been

a priority of mine and the more I

hear about panto the more that

seems to be what it is all about!’

For Jonathan Wilkes, the

TV presenter, singer and actor,

returning to star as Robinson

Crusoe at his local theatre in

Stoke-on-Trent this year is always

a pleasure. ‘I love to give a show

where they all go away with a

big smile on their faces. My little

boy is 4 - I know that he believes it

all, just as I did. I remember going

to the theatre for the first time

when I was five and I believed

everything! For me, the theatre

is a magical place, where you can

go and get completely lost in it

for two hours.’

Pamela Anderson,

Barbara Windsor

& Jonathan Wilkes

Interview

3

Above:

Genevieve O’Reilly

and Ben Barnes

Interview by

Benedict Nightingale

Photography by

Johan Persson

West End? Yes, yes, and yes again.

And the screen’s loss has turned

out to be the stage’s gain.

There are other reasons Barnes

is now ensconced at the Comedy

Theatre. He’d been away from

the stage for three-and-a-half

years since playing Dakin, the

charismatic pupil in the production

of Alan Bennett’s History Boys that

the National Theatre had brought

to the West End: ‘It’s a significant

gap and I thought if I don’t do this

I might do two or three more films

and suddenly the gap would be

five or seven years, and I’d become

Was Ben Barnes fated to play

Stephen Wraysford in Birdsong,

Stephen being the young

Englishman who just about

survives a doomed love affair

and the trenches of the Somme?

When he read Sebastian Faulks’

novel some five years ago, he’d

found it ‘very, very moving, one

of two or three books that made

me weep’. So he’d enthusiastically

auditioned for two directors, each

of whom might have cast him as

Stephen in a screen version of the

work. ‘I knew it would make the

most wonderful, epic, sweeping,

enormous film - but sadly it turned

out to be too enormous, epic and

sweeping for the producers’.

But then something that indeed

seemed like fate intervened.

Barnes was in LA, where his

performance as Prince Caspian

in The Chronicles of Narnia had

made him a hot property, when

his search for a new film was

interrupted by a phone call from

England. Would he be interested

in playing Stephen in a version

of Birdsong that Trevor Nunn, an

expert in giving theatrical form

to epic work, was to direct in the

In Flanders FieldsA journey of love and loss in Birdsong

dead in the water any time soon.

His Prince Caspian - who will be

King Caspian when the next two

episodes of Narnia come out - has

made him what The Sun called

‘a bona fide teen heartthrob’.

Indeed, he still gets mailbags full

of ardent fan letters, many from

the US, most from Japan. And to

his intense embarrassment (‘it was

horrendous’) he arrived at the

second rehearsal of Birdsong to

find a company he hardly knew

jokily chorusing ‘there goes the

handsome face of Ben Barnes’:

the puff some magazine had

just published.

But that doesn’t begin to sum

up his skills. The son of a professor

of psychiatry who is apparently

no mean guitarist, he grew up

‘dancing round the house to the

sound of the Rolling Stones and

Queen’, was regularly taken to the

National by his parents, joined the

National Youth Music Theatre as a

‘slightly lost 14-year-old’, appeared

in several of its productions,

studied drama at Kingston

University, and decided he wanted

to be as versatile and enduring an

actor as possible: ‘I’m interested in

really panicked about stepping

out and telling a story to a live

audience.’

But the main reason was the

conjunction of a director he vastly

admired and the role he was

still passionate to tackle. A trim,

affable man who looks younger

than his 29 years, Ben felt he could

play a character who begins as

a sensitive 20-year-old and ends

a hardened 28-year-old. ‘It’s a

wonderful opportunity for an

actor to morph - and I feel I’ve

gone through a change like

that in a very small way.’

It’s not just the war that

changes Stephen. It’s a woman

who promises she’ll never, ever

leave him, yet soon is gone ‘with

no note, no excuse, no reason,

nothing’, leaving him with a

wariness that Barnes shares. ‘You

get very excited when you first go

to Hollywood but you soon realise

that all those shiny golden dreams

you harbour aren’t necessarily

going to come to fruition. The

amount of times I’ve been in the

cast of some film - and then it’s

just died in the water!’

Not that Ben is likely to be

4

Comedy Theatre

BirdsongRachel Wagstaff’s adaptation of Sebastian Faulks’ modern classicDirected by Trevor NunnStarring Ben Barnesand Genevieve O’ReillyBox Office 0844 871 7622Online booking atAmbassadorTickets.com

longevity rather than a moment

in the sun.’

And, yes, he’s already tackled

quite a variety of roles: an

American quarterback in a pilot

for TV, a Russian hoodlum in the

film Bigga Than Ben, Dorian Gray

in a screen adaptation of Oscar

Wilde and what he describes as ‘a

ridiculous, eccentric, self-centred

man’ in Killing Bono, a soon-

to-be-released movie about the

Irish singer’s one-time classmate.

And he hopes to sustain a career

both on the stage, which he likes

because he can bring control and

consistency to a character rather

than rely on the editing of a series

of moments, and on the screen,

which appeals to his sense of

discovery.

And his next challenge? Hamlet?

Well, maybe. A musical? That’s

likely, since he has a good voice

and sings a lot in Killing Bono.

Or, just conceivably, Stephen

Wraysford in another medium?

‘I read that the BBC is doing

Birdsong in a two-part version,

and I thought, no, no, it’s my part,

you mustn’t - or, if you do, you

must cast me.’

Ben felt he could play a character who begins as a sensitive 20-year-old and ends a hardened 28-year-old. ‘It’s a wonderful opportunity for an actor to morph - and I feel I’ve gone through a change like that in a very small way.’

Genevieve O’Reilly

and Ben Barnes

Trevor Nunn

Birdsong will donate

£2 per ticket to The

Royal British Legion’s

Poppy Appeal, for

all performances

1 - 13 November 2010

inclusive. For more information on

the Royal British Legion, please

visit britishlegion.org.uk

5

Interview by

Mark Shenton

Photography by

Paul Coltas and

Matt Crockett

singing and acting auditions for

them, and a couple of days later

heard that they’d love to offer me

the part! I was going to get my

hair cut when I got the call, and

I was in the middle of the street

screaming on my mobile!’

She didn’t have long to get

ready. ‘I was given two and a half

weeks’ rehearsal, but having done

Over the Rainbow and having to

learn so much material so quickly

on that, I was in the mindset

anyway, so it came easily.’

She was more anxious about

the reception she might get

‘I thought, ‘I’m never going to

be able to do it’, but you find it

within yourself - it’s live on TV and

you’ve got to do it, or you look

ridiculous! But it’s also like a big

audition, and I thought, this is the

last time I’m going to sing on the

BBC on a Saturday night, so let’s

go for it and make it count!’

She certainly did - and soon

after, her agent got a call to ask

her to audition for Grease. ‘I was

getting calls for auditions for a

few different things, and I was

very excited to go up for it. I met

with the creative team and did

The One That We WantAn electrifyin’ debut for Lauren Samuels in Grease

When Lauren Samuels found

herself coming so near and yet so

far from winning the coveted role

of Dorothy in the BBC TV contest

Over the Rainbow she had to take

off the ruby slippers and return

them to the podium in front of

producer and judge Andrew Lloyd

Webber. ‘I became the last person

to ride the moon,’ she says, of

the weekly climax to the show

which saw the loser having to step

aboard a crescent moon and sing

‘Over the Rainbow’ one last time,

while naturally choked

with emotion.

Interview

just seven months to making my

West End debut. It is absolutely

insane - I still have to pinch myself

to believe it’s all real.’

In fact, it’s gone even quicker

than if she had won - the winner

Danielle Hope has to wait until

next February to appear in The

Wizard of Oz. ‘I met up with her

only yesterday and she said, ‘I’m

itching to start - I’m so jealous of

you being in a show’. Obviously I

was incredibly disappointed at the

time that I didn’t win, and I didn’t

know that this was just around the

corner - but it has obviously picked

up my spirits no end. I’m so happy

and thankful to be here.’

Having already completed

both a B.Tech. training in musical

theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon,

and a three year drama degree

at Guildford School of Acting,

she was more than ready

to join the cast of this

smash-hit musical.

6

Piccadilly Theatre

GreaseStarring Lauren Samuels and Matthew GoodgameNow booking until May 2011Box Office 0844 871 7630Online booking atAmbassadorTickets.com

from her fellow cast members,

but needn’t have worried. ‘I was

nervous about them having to

come in and rehearse with me

after they’d already been doing

it - nobody likes doing that - but

everyone was absolutely fantastic,

and they’ve all been really

interested in Over the Rainbow,

asking me about it.’

Then came the scariest part:

going out onstage for the first

time as a West End leading lady.

‘I felt more nervous than I’ve ever

felt in my entire life - not only was

I making my West End debut, but I

had the added pressure of people

coming to see it because I was

from that show! When my dad

came into my dressing room, I

was on the sofa crying because

I was so nervous about it!’

It has been ‘a heck of a journey’,

she says now. ‘If I think back to the

end of January, when I did my very

first Dorothy audition, it’s been

She had also already made her

professional debut in a production

of Peter Pan at Leicester’s Curve

Theatre last Christmas, which was

conveniently close to her Midlands

family home in Hinckley. ‘It was

brilliant - I got to go and stay at

home for my first job, having

just moved to London!’

She’s delighted to be starring

in Grease and putting her heart

into unforgettable numbers like

Summer Lovin’ - ‘it was the second

musical I ever went to see; the first

was when my mum took me to see

Phantom of the Opera in the West

End’ - and she concludes, ‘Sandy is

another iconic role, like Dorothy.

Everyone loves the show, don’t

they? The audiences we have here

are fantastic. They’re all up on

their feet and clapping and singing

along - it’s so nice to be onstage

knowing that you’re entertaining

someone for the evening. It’s

so fulfilling - I just love it!’

‘A feel-good, pick-me-up musical!’ Sunday Express

Book your tickets online at AmbassadorTickets.com 7

What’s On

APOLLO VICTORIA 0844 871 7615

WickedDiscover the incredible untold

story of the Witches of Oz.

Winner! Most Popular Show

Laurence Olivier Awards 2010

PHOENIX THEATRE 0844 871 7629

Blood Brothers‘Exhilarating. One of the best

musicals ever written’

Sunday Times

DUKE OF YORK’S THEATRE 0844 871 7623

Ghost StoriesDirect from a sell-out season at the

Lyric Hammersmith comes the most

terrifying experience in the West

End. ‘Awesome’ Jonathan Ross

PLAYHOUSE THEATRE 0844 871 7631

Dreamboats and PetticoatsHHHH ‘Tremendous, tub

thumping fun, it brought the

house down’ Sunday Telegraph

COMEDY THEATRE 0844 871 7622

BirdsongThe story of one man’s love and

loss in the First World War. Based

on Sebastian Faulks’ best-selling

novel, directed by Trevor Nunn.

PICCADILLY THEATRE 0844 871 7630

GreaseThe original high-school musical

starring Lauren Samuels

and Matthew Goodgame

FORTUNE THEATRE 0844 871 7626

The Woman in BlackOne of the most exciting and

gripping theatre events ever

staged. ‘A truly nerve-shredding

experience’ Daily Mail

SAVOY THEATRE 0844 871 7687

Legally BlondeThe MusicalSheridan Smith is Elle

HHHH ‘Blows other musicals

out of the water’ Sun

DONMAR WAREHOUSE 0844 871 7624

King Learby William Shakespeare

An exploration into the very

nature of human existence.

Starring Derek Jacobi

PICCADILLY THEATRE 0844 871 7630

Ghost The MusicalThe dazzling new musical based

on the phenomenal Oscar winning

film. Ghost is a timeless fantasy

about the power of love.

LYCEUM THEATRE 0844 871 7615Disney’s

The Lion KingWith a cast of over 40 actors,

singers and dancers.

‘A beautiful dazzle of invention

and imagination’ Evening Standard

TRAFALGAR STUDIO 1 0844 871 7632The Willy Russell Season

Shirley ValentineStarring Meera Syal

Educating Rita Starring Tim

Pigott-Smith & Laura Dos Santos

THE OLD VIC 0844 871 7628

Design for LivingThis provocative play returns to

the London stage for the first time

in over 15 years. Anthony Page

directs Noel Coward’s classic.

TRAFALGAR STUDIO 2* 0844 871 7632Donmar Trafalgar Season

Lower Ninth 30 Sep - 23 Oct

Novecento 28 Oct - 20 Nov

Les Parents Terribles25 Nov - 18 Dec

Buy Your West End Tickets Here

*Studio 2 has been made possible by a generous donation from Christina Smith

8

Competition

TERMS AND CONDITIONS One winner will be drawn at random

after the closing date. The prize

includes 4 tickets (Mon - Thu perfs only)

to see Dreamboats and Petticoats at

the Playhouse Theatre plus a glass of

champagne each, 4 complimentary

programmes, 4 CDs and 4 positions at

Planet Hollywood, Haymarket before

or after the performance. Winners will

be notified by 12 Nov. Prize is subject

to availability, non-transferable & non-

redeemable for a cash value. Not open

to employees of Ambassador Theatre

Group Ltd or Ambassador Theatre Group

(Venues) Ltd. Editor’s decision is final.

Win best seats, a meal at Planet Hollywood, champagne, programmes & CDs for you and three friends!

So, join us at Dreamboats

and Petticoats at the Playhouse

Theatre for a rocking, rolling

Christmas night out to remember

in the glittering West End. Simply

complete the famous lyrics by

Bill Haley and the Comets:

‘Rock around the ______ tonight’

Please return your answer, not

forgetting your name, address

and telephone number to Ben

Prudhoe, The Ambassador Theatre

Group Ltd, 39 - 41 Charing Cross

Road, London, WC2H 0AR

before Monday 8 Nov 2010

Shake off those winter blues,

rattle away those chilly nights,

roll out in fancy knitwear and visit

the West End’s most energetic

musical of them all - Dreamboats

and Petticoats. Enjoying its second

fabulous year in the West End and

inspired by the smash hit million

selling albums Dreamboats and

Petticoats One, Two and Three, the

sell-out sensation Dreamboats and

Petticoats The Musical features

some of the greatest hit songs

of the rock n roll era.

In 1961 emotions run high as

young musicians Norman and

Bobby compete to win a national

songwriting competition - and,

more importantly, the attention

of the gorgeous Sue! But when

Bobby discovers that shy Laura is

no slouch on the piano, love and

rock n roll fame beckon.

Enjoy the best seats in the house

with a complimentary glass of

champagne and programmes on

arrival. You will also receive free

copies of the Dreamboats and

Petticoats cast album for each

member of your party.

And that’s not all - warm

yourself with the ultimate 1950s

banquet of classic burgers and

shakes at the brand new Planet

Hollywood, Haymarket where

your group will be treated to

a complimentary meal of your

choice pre or post-performance.

Playhouse Theatre

Dreamboats and Petticoats Box Office 0844 871 7631Online booking atAmbassadorTickets.com

TourPrincess Theatre, Torquay18 - 23 October 2010Box Office 0844 847 2315(answered by Ticketmaster)

Grand Opera House, York8 - 13 November 2010Box Office 0844 847 2322(answered by Ticketmaster)

Backstage

Pride of the LyceumThe wonderful world of the Lion King

9

Feature by

Al Senter

Photography by

Catherine Ashmore,

Simon Turtle and

Johan Persson

It is the middle of August and the

height of the school holidays. A

patient queue of children and their

parents stretches past the imposing

portico of the Lyceum Theatre,

forlornly hoping that return tickets

for the imminent matinée of The

Lion King will suddenly materialise.

There can’t be many productions,

shortly to begin their twelfth year

of continuous performance, which

are still obliged to display the

House Full sign to disappointed

theatregoers.

Inside the magnificent

auditorium, there is a tremendous

hubbub of excitement in which

children’s voices predominate.

As the lights dim, a full-throated

cheer goes up, the MD raises his

hands to the orchestra and the

procession of animals makes its

way down the aisles and takes to

the stage to an ecstatic reception.

Despite its eleven years, the

production is in excellent fettle;

a seamless parade of set pieces,

dance, music and colourful and

thrilling spectacle. The story, a

leonine version of Hamlet, is

comparatively straightforward and

can be followed by all ages in the

audience. Even the awkward fact

that lions tend to dine on their

neighbours is neatly smoothed

over by King Mufasa’s remark that

their remains nourish the soil and

help to produce the grass eaten

by the creatures that in turn are

devoured by the big cats. It is

the Circle of Life, indeed.

And The Lion King has

effectively circled the globe.

Thirteen years after its Broadway

opening, the show is still running

in New York. In many of the cities

where it has played, the show

has smashed local records for

the length of its stay. In total,

the show has given more than

thirty thousand performances, it

has been seen by more than fifty

million people around the world

and has collected more than

seventy international

theatre awards.

Back at the

Lyceum, it is

now late afternoon

and the crowds,

heads spinning with

excitement, have

melted away into the

summer afternoon. In

the auditorium, however,

there is still a buzz of

activity, as the theatre is

prepared for the evening

performance. Hovering in

the wings and exploring

the extensive catacombs

below the stage, you gain

a vivid impression of the

complexity of this show and of

the logistics required to bring

it to such majestic life for eight

performances a week.

As we know from countless

TV documentaries, the African

plains teem with life and The Lion

King has to reflect the richness of

that natural world. As well as the

pride of lions, we see elephant,

giraffe, wildebeest, hyenas,

vultures, antelope and crocodile.

Many in the hard-working cast

of forty-eight can have a number

of different animals to play, each

requiring its own costume, puppet,

mask, headdress, accessory and

make-up. Every square inch of

space either in the Lyceum wings

or in the basement is utilised,

with a meticulous organisation of

names and numbers to ensure that

each performer is fully up to speed

with where they should be going

and what they should be wearing.

Richard Oriel, General Manager

(Production) has been part of The

Lion King team since the show

arrived at the Lyceum. He estimates

that around two hundred and fifty

actors, singers and dancers have

passed through the various Lion

King casts since 1999.

‘The show has a truly

international feel and we use

artists from all over the world’

he says. ‘And we’ve always had a

particularly strong South African

contingent in the cast. For people

who have come from overseas,

The Lion King has become their

family and a real bond has formed

backstage.’

Everything about The Lion

King is on a grand scale. There

are sixteen/seventeen in the stage

crew, a team of six people looking

after the puppets, five make- 10

Lyceum TheatreDisney’s

The Lion KingBox Office 0844 871 7615Online booking atAmbassadorTickets.com

Hovering in the wings and exploring the extensive catacombs below the stage, you gain a vivid impression of the complexity of this show and of the logistics required to bring it to such majestic life.

‘

up artists and twenty wardrobe

assistants. And it is inevitable with

eight performances a week that

everything will suffer from wear

and tear.

‘You never get bored on this

show.’ Oriel jokes. ‘Every day

brings a different challenge. A

lot of the job is about maintenance

and costumes do have to be

replaced. To that end, we have a

team of outworkers throughout

the UK. The name Disney means

quality and it is very important

that we keep The Lion King

looking as good as possible. It

may sometimes appear to be a

little chaotic backstage but the

show is organised to within an

inch of its life.’

The Lyceum has gone through

a number of incarnations since

the days when Henry Irving and his

leading lady, Ellen Terry, bestrode

the stage. It has defied both the

Luftwaffe and the attentions of

the developers. Turning itself

into the African savannah eight

times a week has rejuvenated the

somewhat stately old pile. In the

Lyceum’s Circle of Life, it is

riding high once more.

’

Interview

Lady Ha HaJodie Prenger plays it for laughs in Spamalot

Spamalot ‘raises silliness to an

art form’ (Sunday Times).

‘A musical of this stature was

something I leapt at the chance

of doing,’ she says. ‘I saw the show

and loved the comedy, especially

after playing Nancy. She dies at the

end and it’s not the most comical

of roles. The Lady of the Lake

is one of those roles where you

can let rip and enjoy yourself. It’s

about having a great time. You

sing everything from ballads to

gospel to pop. There’s even a

bit of scatting in there’.

In other words the main singing

There have been three TV talent

shows for musical theatre so far.

For the first two the winner was on

each occasion the overwhelming

favourite. Connie Fisher and Lee

Mead have both surged on to

greater things. Jodie Prenger

never felt quite so confident.

‘That’s why I went into full

convulsion after the verdict and

couldn’t properly string one

sentence together for ten minutes

after. This big drama all happened

within ten seconds - the biggest

whirlwind I’ve ever experienced

in my life.’

The whirlwind entailed going

straight from TV’s I’d Do Anything

into Oliver! to star alongside Mr

Bean himself, Rowan Atkinson.

‘He’s a gentleman,’ she says. ‘I

learnt so much from him. I learnt

from all of the Fagins. That sounds

bad, doesn’t it?’ Having spent

13 months as Nancy she is now

moving on to her second lead role.

Telling the legendary tale of

King Arthur and his knights of

the Round Table, and featuring a

bevy of beautiful show girls, not

to mention cows, killer rabbits

and French people, Monty Python’s

Lady Ha HaJodie Prenger plays it for laughs in

There have been three TV talent

shows for musical theatre so far.

For the first two the winner was on

each occasion the overwhelming

favourite. Connie Fisher and Lee

Mead have both surged on to

greater things. Jodie Prenger

never felt quite so confident.

‘That’s why I went into full

convulsion after the verdict and

couldn’t properly string one

sentence together for ten minutes

after. This big drama all happened

within ten seconds - the biggest

whirlwind I’ve ever experienced

in my life.’11

Interview by

Jasper Rees

Photography by

Manuel Harlan

frostbite was worth every minute

of it. I went down in my red dress

and shoes and stood outside for

two hours. I was very, very nervous

that day, to the point I messed up

my first song and started in the

wrong key and sounded like Susan

Boyle on helium. I was petrified.’

Once she won, she was rapidly

ferried by Cameron Mackintosh

into the cast of Les Misérables

for a month to get experience of

performing in a West End musical.

She also studied Shakespeare

performance at RADA. ‘Everything

is a learning curve,’ she says.

‘I just want to be like a

sponge.’

Later in the year

she’ll be joined by

Matthew Kelly

as King Arthur

who has won an

Olivier Award,

starred in

role in the Tony award-winning

Monty Python musical spoof is a

suitable test for the range Prenger

displayed in I’d Do Anything. She

still has to pinch herself, she says. ‘I

know you get these stories in these

reality shows: ‘it’s my last chance.’

But really it was my last chance.

You get to that sensible age where

it’s time to build your nest and you

should have your career ready. I

was about 28, 29.’

She was a late developer as

a singer at school. ‘I didn’t start

singing properly till I was 14. I

remember my Nan used to mime

to Shirley Bassey. She couldn’t sing

a note. Nor can my mum and dad.’

Her parents ran a Blackpool hotel

and their daughter used to do

little shows in the bar.

She made it as far as boot camp

in The X Factor but didn’t make it

onto the live singing show. One

of the problems was her size. She

was a big girl as a teenager, and

was always cast in the male roles

at school. She sang songs from

the shows when performing

in the north as the opening

act for Frank Carson

or Ken Dodd. But

then came the

auditions. ‘I went

up for so many

West End roles

and never got

them. The last

one I went for

was Hairspray

and I was just

heartbroken.

I couldn’t take any more.’

Television came to her aid

in 2006 when she went on

The Biggest Loser, a daytime

weight loss show in which

she managed to dump

eight stone. ‘It gave me my

fitness back and I gained

confidence.’ She was still

uncertain about whether

to go up for I’d Do

Anything auditions in

Manchester which her

mother heard about

on the radio. ‘Getting 12

Edinburgh Playhouse*18 - 23 OctoberBox Office 0844 847 1661

Oxford New Theatre*25 - 30 OctoberBox Office 0844 847 1588

Torquay Princess Theatre*1 - 6 NovemberBox Office 0844 847 2315

York Grand Opera House*22 - 27 NovemberBox Office 0844 847 2322

Milton Keynes Theatre29 November - 4 DecemberBox Office 0844 871 7652

Birmingham Alexandra*7 December - 1 JanuaryBox Office 0844 847 2293

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre28 March - 2 April 2011Box Office 0844 871 7607

Full casting detailsand online booking at AmbassadorTickets.com

*Online booking atatgv.co.uk

The Lady of the Lake is one of those roles where you can let rip and enjoy yourself. It’s about having a great time. You sing everything from ballads to gospel to pop. There’s even a bit of scatting in there.

‘

Waiting for Godot with Ian

McKellen and long since shrugged

off memories of Stars in Their

Eyes. Can Prenger put her finger

on why after several years of

rejection and struggle, doors have

been flung open and she’s found

herself catapulted to the pinnacle

of her profession? ‘I don’t know,’

she says. ‘I must have been really

nice in a previous life. I do try to

walk old ladies across the road. If

you do a lot of good... I believe

in karma. What goes around,

comes around.’’

displayed in

still has to pinch herself, she says. ‘I

know you get these stories in these

‘been flung open and she’s found

herself catapulted to the pinnacle

of her profession? ‘I don’t know,’

she says. ‘I must have been really

nice in a previous life. I do try to

walk old ladies across the road. If

you do a lot of good... I believe

in karma. What goes around,

‘A no-holds-barred smash hit’ New Yorker

She made it as far as boot camp

in

onto the live singing show. One

of the problems was her size. She

was a big girl as a teenager, and

was always cast in the male roles

at school. She sang songs from

the shows when performing

in the north as the opening

act for Frank Carson

or Ken Dodd. But

then came the

auditions. ‘I went

up for so many

West End roles

and never got

them. The last

one I went for

13

This is something Sonia endorses

totally. ‘Not only do I endorse it -

I live by it,’ she says dryly. ‘It’s not

feminist with a capital F. It’s a story

about empowerment, being true

to yourself, following your own

heart. Sometimes as a woman

climbing the ladder, that’s hard

to do.’

When Sonia made that

confident pitch to bring the

show to London, competing

with a bunch of other respected

producers, why did she win?

‘Maybe it was my passion for the

story combined with seeing the

commercial potential right away.

I knew the Broadway version was

too big and expensive for us. My

pitch was to scale it down, focus

more on the story, create a very

fluid, simple production. I wanted

to cast real actors - actors who

could sing, rather than traditional

musical stars. I knew comedy was

crucial. Our production has irony.’

She pauses. ‘We were so lucky

Sheridan Smith could sing!’

It’s one thing to sit back smugly

with the benefit of hindsight

and say - yes, I knew Legally

Blonde would be a phenomenon

in the West End - and no, I am

not surprised it took two million

pounds in advance sales at the

box office, got rave reviews from

even the crustiest critics and saw

unprecedented mayhem at the

stage door when Sheridan Smith

was mobbed by fans - that’s one

thing. Quite another to predict all

that. To see a show on Broadway

and decide it will be a winner

in London - and what’s more,

to be certain that you are the

ideal person to produce it. Sonia

Friedman, one of our most prolific

and successful theatrical producers,

did just that.

To be fair, she is entirely

formidable. Brought up in a

Bohemian, musical, North London

home, she has a clutch of award-

winning musicals in her CV, but

also serious drama: All My Sons,

Othello, The Seagull - an awe-

inspiring list for someone who

is a mere 44. She is very attractive,

spirited and entertaining - and

clearly very focussed. After a stint

as a producer at the National

Theatre in the early 90’s, she set up

her own company, Sonia Friedman

Productions and has done some

breathtaking work.

Surely it’s impossible, therefore,

for her to watch a show without

seeing it from a business angle.

‘Impossible, yes. I knew Legally

Blonde was a winner, but I also

fell in love with it. I found myself

relating to Elle. It doesn’t pretend

to be an important musical

maybe, but within the story, the

importance sneaks up on you. I

found myself grinning - and by the

end, I was ecstatic and on my feet.’

Elle Woods, the privileged

homecoming queen, dumps her

shop-till-you-drop lifestyle and

enrols at Harvard Law School

when her boyfriend replaces her

with a more ‘serious’ girl. The

message is: you can be blonde

and pretty and dressed in pink -

and still cut it in a man’s world.

OMG you guys - it’s the Legally Blonde phenomenon!

Savoy Theatre

Legally BlondeThe Musical

Box Office 0844 871 7687Online booking at

AmbassadorTickets.com

Feature by Victoria Kingston

News

Sonia Friedman

Sheridan Smith as Elle

OMG you guys - it’s the Legally Blonde phenomenon!Legally Blonde phenomenon!Legally Blonde

musical stars. I knew comedy was

crucial. Our production has irony.’

She pauses. ‘We were so lucky

Sheridan Smith could sing!’

and still cut it in a man’s world.

The Seagull - an awe-The Seagull - an awe-The Seagull

inspiring list for someone who

and pretty and dressed in pink -

and still cut it in a man’s world. inspiring list for someone who

Savoy Theatre

Legally BlondeThe Musical

Box Office 0844 871 7687

14

This October sees a star-studded

opening night gala with frocks,

fizz and magic at the brand-new

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre.

Numerous celebrities and industry

names will be there for the

black-tie event - a performance

of Northern Ballet’s must-see Swan

Lake - and they will be joined on-

screen by well-wishers from the

wider world of entertainment.

As the first step in a major

regeneration of the town, the

opening marks a significant

turning point in the renaissance of

Aylesbury. The theatre is expecting

to see 300,000 visitors each

year, bringing hugely increased

additional visitor spend to

the town.

Norman Bragg, lead architect for

the Arts Team at RHWL architects,

talks about his inspiration in

creating the first and only build of

its kind planned for this decade.

‘As I first made my way to

Aylesbury for a site visit I was

struck by the beautiful countryside

of Aylesbury Vale, the Chilterns,

and an idea began to form.’

With these images in mind

Norman drew a simple sketch.

This 3 minute sketch has taken

8 years to come alive but many

original features remain in this

stylish building overlooking the

canal, an easy two-minute walk

from the town centre.

112 timber fins stretch from

a natural stone base to the

undulating roof, following the

curve of the building, reminiscent

of the random scattering of

woodland trees. Over 600 panes

of glass complete the formation

providing natural light throughout

the interior of the theatre and

stunning views across the town.

The glittering opening night

kicks off a stunning first season

at the Waterside. An unparalleled

choice of one night specials will

include world-class orchestral

music from the Royal Philharmonic

Orchestra, laughter therapy with

controversial comedian Jimmy

Carr and music from the most

influential band of their era -

The Buzzcocks. Musical favourites

Joseph and Evita will be brought

to Aylesbury along with global

phenomenon Calendar Girls, rock

n roll heaven in Richard O’Brien’s

Rocky Horror Show, the hilarious

Spamalot and the country’s biggest

and best panto star Cilla Black in

the country’s biggest and best £1

million family panto - Cinderella.

It’s Entertainment Heaven!

For more details on how to get

there and how to book tickets visit

AmbassadorTickets.com/aylesbury

or call 0844 871 7607.

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre makes a dazzling entrance

Inset pictures

Cilla Black in Cinderella

Richard O’Brien’s

Rocky Horror Show

Jodie Prenger in Spamalot

Julian Lloyd Webber

Feature by

Becky Martin

A LANDMARK COMPETITION!Get over to the new Aylesbury

Waterside Theatre and bag

yourself a bunch of tickets for

the opening season!

Q: How many timber fins support

the roof of the theatre?

For full details of how to enter

this fabulous competition plus

terms and conditions visit

AmbassadorTickets.com/

aylesburycompetition

A LANDMARK COMPETITION!

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre makes a dazzling entrance

StyleStyle

CELEBRATE!We asked cast members from Legally

Blonde - the biggest party musical in the

West End - to help us celebrate 10 years

of the Ambassador Group magazine!

EMMA WEARSGold knit jumper £54.90 at

Mango mango.com

Black strappy shoes £49 Autograph

at M&S marksandspencer.com

Black glittery bag £12 at M&S

Gold bangles £12 Jon Richard

at Debenhams debenhams.com

Necklace stylists own

JANE WEARSPink ruched dress £45 at Warehouse

warehouse.co.uk

Faux fur shrug vintage at

Portobello market

Metal cuff vintage

Patent cream high heels £65 at Aldo

aldoshoes.com

TAMARA WEARSBlack striped dress £56 at Warehouse

Gold knot necklace £12 at Warehouse

Black shoes vintage

Gold and black bangles £14 at Monsoon

monsoon.co.uk

All prices quoted are given as a guide only and

may be subject to change by individual retailers.

Bronze shoes with bow £72 at Office office.co.uk

Black strappy shoes £49 Autograph at M&S marksandspencer.com

Gold and black bangles £14 at Monsoon monsoon.co.uk

Satin clutch bag £6 at M&S

Savoy Theatre

Legally Blonde The MusicalBox Office 0844 871 7687Online booking atAmbassadorTickets.com

Feature by Julie Jones

EMMA BATEMAN(Party food: jelly and icecream) ‘Legally Blonde is a happy, feel-good show. It’s such fun to be in - you can see people in the audience

smiling back at you.’

JANE MCMURTRIE (Party song: It’s Rainin’ Men) ‘All girls will love it! If I go in in a bad mood, I come out feeling better.’

TAMARA WALL (Party theme: pyjama!)‘We get millions of hen parties in - and groups of girls and boys out for the night dressed in pink! It’s mad, funny and a constant laugh.’

visitbuckinghamshire.org

chilternsaonb.org

buckscc.gov.uk/museum

farmersbar.co.uk

waddesdon.org.uk

destinationmiltonkeynes.co.uk

snozoneuk.com

bletchleypark.org.uk

thecentremk.com

visitbirmingham.com

britishwaterways.co.uk

jewelleryquarter.net

bmag.org.uk

lasangroup.com

birmingham.gov.uk/

frankfurtmarket

For details of

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre

and Milton Keynes Theatre

see AmbassadorTickets.com

For the Alexandra

Theatre, Birmingham see

alexandratheatre.org.uk17

the East Wing opens with popular

‘floodlit evenings’ in November

including musical entertainment.

Of course, Christmas wouldn’t

be complete without a panto and

they don’t come bigger than Cilla

Black as the Fairy Godmother

in Cinderella at the Aylesbury

Waterside Theatre. Expect a

sparkling festive debut for the

UK’s newest theatre.

Milton Keynes MagicActivate your sense of adventure

with a trip to SNO!zone, located

inside Xscape Milton Keynes.

Furnished with indoor snow year-

round, there are regular skiing and

snowboarding sessions on offer,

plus lessons can be booked to suit

all levels of expertise. Families can

also participate in fun activities

such as sledging.

If winter sports sound too

strenuous, stimulate the mind

at picturesque Bletchley Park.

Wonderfully portrayed in hit film

Enigma, this heritage site was

once the base for Britain’s best

brains who raced against all the

odds to break Nazi codes during

World War ll. This significance is

not forgotten today as visitors

learn about the fascinating story

of interception, decryption and

analysis in Block-B Museum, taking

Pleasing everyone on a precious

day out isn’t always easy. So

solve the problem this winter by

exploring three very different

yet culturally significant locations

situated north of the capital.

Historic AylesburyWrap up warm and head to the

Chilterns Area of Outstanding

Natural Beauty for a brisk,

energising walk. Close to Aylesbury

and criss-crossed by a network

of footpaths and bridleways, the

rolling landscape is characterised

by tranquil valleys, wooded hills,

dramatic viewpoints and charming

villages.

Famous local resident Roald

Dahl lived in the village of Great

Missenden for 30 years, writing

most of his books there. Fittingly

the nearby Buckinghamshire

County Museum, in Aylesbury’s

old town, celebrates the author’s

life with a Children’s Gallery where

little ones can let their imagination

run wild. Full of hands-on exhibits

inspired by Dahl’s stories, kids

can venture inside the Giant

Peach or crawl along Fantastic

Mr Fox’s tunnel.

Grown-ups can make time

for a visit to the Farmers’ Bar at

The King’s Head, owned by the

National Trust and run by The

Chiltern Brewery. It is believed

that a pub has stood on the

Market Square in Aylesbury since

the 1400s, welcoming visitors as

diverse as Oliver Cromwell and

Richard Burton over the years.

Today, as Britain’s oldest coaching

inn, it serves up local ales, wines

and champagnes with traditional

English fare. A great choice for

a relaxing lunch or pre-theatre

dinner.

Waddesdon Manor, another

National Trust property, is the

perfect place in which to mark

the start of the festive season. The

Renaissance-style château, dating

from 1874, literally lights up from

November, offering all manner of

Christmas events including a Gift

Fair and Food Market. Elegantly

decorated for the occasion - this

year with a Parisienne theme -

Destinations with SparkleSeasonal inspiration in the heart of England

Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery

Going Out

18

Feature by

Neena Dhillon

Images top l-r

Museum of the Jewellery Quarter

The Chilterns

Frankfurt Christmas Market

in Birmingham

Waddesdon Manor

in an exhibit of the famed Enigma

machine.

Serious shoppers won’t want

to be distracted from the comfort

of the centre:mk, where 240

stores, cafés and restaurants come

together under one roof. Millions

of people flock to the centre every

year to escape the cold winter

weather and enjoy well-deserved

retail therapy.

Alternatively, beat the cold

with a good dose of culture.

Milton Keynes Theatre is one of

the region’s top live entertainment

venues and is staging seasonal

treats from Dick Whittington with

Joanna Page to Matthew Bourne’s

Cinderella.

Birmingham BuzzWhile Britain’s second city is

renowned for its manufacturing

is a curry house with a difference,

serving up exciting and innovative

Indian meals in contemporary

surroundings.

Finally, spread some festive

cheer by treating loved ones

to goodies from the legendary

Frankfurt Christmas Market

(18 Nov - 23 Dec) and lining

stockings with theatre tickets. This

Christmas, the Tony award-winning

Spamalot by Eric Idle, starring

Jodie Prenger and Matthew

Kelly descends on the Alexandra

Theatre, Birmingham - expect

Python inspired

maythem to

ensue.

Lasan

roots, one of its best-kept secrets

is the extensive, intricate canal

system, which has a history

stretching back over 200 years.

To navigate your way around

some interesting waterside walks

- a good introduction to top city

attractions - stop in at the British

Waterways’ Canal Information

Centre, Gas Street Basin, for

information. Children can follow

the 20-minute Ollie the Otter trail

that passes the National Sea Life

Centre. Any stroll should also take

in Brindley Place, packed with

vibrant bars and restaurants.

Slightly off the beaten track, the

Jewellery Quarter combines listed

buildings, art galleries and an old

cemetery with ghostly catacombs

with hundreds of specialist

retailers selling handcrafted pieces.

In addition to featuring the city’s

only remaining Georgian Square -

home to St Paul’s Church - the area

also boasts the Museum of the

Jewellery Quarter complete with

live demonstrations and details

about Birmingham’s jewellery

and metalworking heritage.

Remain in the quarter

for a well-deserved

meal. Voted Best

Local Restaurant by

Gordon Ramsay’s

The F Word, Lasan

SNO!zone

18 - 23 OCT EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE 0844 847 1661

25 - 30 OCT OXFORD NEW THEATRE 0844 847 1588

1 - 6 NOV TORQUAY PRINCESS THEATRE 0844 847 2315

8 -13 NOV HIGH WYCOMBE SWAN THEATRE 01494 512 000

15 -20 NOV THEATRE ROYAL BATH 01225 448844

22 - 27 NOV YORK GRAND OPERA HOUSE 0844 847 2322

29 NOV - 4 DEC MILTON KEYNES THEATRE 0844 871 7652

7 DEC - 1 JAN BIRMINGHAM ALEXANDRA 0844 847 2293

17 - 22 JAN LLANDUDNO VENUE CYMRU 01492 872000

24 - 29 JAN SOUTHEND CLIFFS PAVILION 01702 351135

31 JAN - 5 FEB PLYMOUTH THEATRE ROYAL 01752 230440

28 FEB - 5 MAR SUNDERLAND EMPIRE 0844 847 2499

28 MAR - 2 APR AYLESBURY WATERSIDE THEATRE 0844 871 7607

www.spamalotontour.co.uk

‘I FELT I MIGHTACTUALLY DIE OF LAUGHTER’THE INDEPENDENT