T H E A T R E

T H E A T R E

stjamestheatre.co.uk | 0844 264 2140

SEASONBROCHUREJANUARY - MAY 2015

CONTENTS2 - 3

4 - 5

6 - 7

8 - 9

10 - 11

12 - 13

14 - 15

16 - 17

BAD JEWS

SHOWSTOPPER! THE IMPROVISED MUSICAL

RUBY WAX

REBECCA FERGUSON

THE THREE LIONS

FOOD, DRINK AND EVENTS

SUPPORT ST. JAMES

ST. JAMES STUDIO

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WELCOMEAt the ripe age of two years old this past September, we are delighted to be announcing our 2015 season at the St. James Theatre. Fresh from our Christmas presentation of the Olivier nominated Eric and Little Ern, our opening co-production is the brilliant Bad Jews, which originated at the Roundabout Theatre in New York and was recently produced by Theatre Royal Bath, winning a UK Theatre Award for Jenna Augen’s performance. The multi-talented Ruby Wax brings us her extraordinary show, based upon her No1 bestselling book Sane New World: Taming the Mind. Ruby tells it how it is from a very personal perspective, but still manages to fill the auditorium with laughter, tears and much in between. Don’t miss it! Following their sold out St. James debut in October Showstopper: The Improvised Musical returns for two performances and soul diva Rebecca Ferguson launches her stunning new album Lady Sings the Blues in a series of concerts in the Studio and main house. If you are looking for a comedy that lovingly (or not!) pokes some fun at an incongruous gathering of well-known personalities, then The Three Lions is just the treat. Gloriously entertaining, it absolutely finds its mark. In January, the Studio celebrates the lives of Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Richard Burton, Dylan Thomas, Marilyn Monroe and Marlene Dietrich in the Icons Season. Together with a lively Brasserie and the fine dining offered in the Carrara restaurant, St. James offers a wonderful array of entertainment, good food and a uniquely relaxing atmosphere. We really hope you enjoy our first season of 2015, and appreciate your continued support of St. James.

Robert Mackintosh Executive Producer

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HHHHINDEPENDENT

HHHHTELEGRAPH

HHHHWHATSONSTAGE

BadJewsBY

JOSHUA HARMONDIRECTED BY MICHAEL LONGHURST

HHHH ‘VIVID, RAW, BRILLIANT... A BRAVE COMEDY WHICH MAKES FOR EXCELLENT, MOVING DRAMA’ FINANCIAL TIMES

JENNA AUGEN | GINA BRAMHILL | JOE COEN | ILAN GOODMAN

Danny Moar and Simon Friend for Theatre Royal Bath Productions and St. James Theatre Productions present

BAD JEWSWritten by JOSHUA HARMONDirected by MICHAEL LONGHURST

15 JANUARY - 28 FEBRUARY

A NEW COMEDY ABOUT FAITH, FAVOURITISM & A FAMILY FEUDThe UK premiere of this production of Bad Jews was a sell out at the Ustinov Studio, Bath earlier this year, where it earned huge critical acclaim and Jenna Augen won a UK Theatre Award for her performance.

A beloved grandfather has died and a treasured family heirloom with religious significance is up for grabs. But who is most deserving of it? Bossy, overbearing, fanatically religious Daphna? Her wealthy cousin Liam who’s just returned from skiing with his non-Jewish girlfriend Melody? Or Jonah, his brother, who would prefer not to get involved in the fight? A cramped Manhattan apartment becomes the setting for a viciously hilarious quarrel about family, faith and legacy as the contenders set at each other’s throats on the night after the funeral.

“A blisteringly funny play...exquisitely hilarious” The Independent

PERFORMANCE TIMESMon - Sat eves 7.30pmThur & Sat mats 2.30pm

Previews Thurs 15 - Tues 20 January

TICKETS£10, £20, £25*

£5 off all preview performances

*Group and Senior Citizen rates available.

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BadJews

Photography Nobby Clark

PRESENTTHE HOWSTOPPERS

HHHHH‘A blast. Makes your jaw drop

in impressed amazement and your ribs ache with laughter.’

Mail On Sunday

HHHHH‘A shining example of

how good improv can be.’ Chortle

SS-StJBrochurePic DL_SS-StJBrochurePic DL 03/12/2014 16:06 Page 1

PRESENTTHE HOWSTOPPERS

HHHHH‘A blast. Makes your jaw drop

in impressed amazement and your ribs ache with laughter.’

Mail On Sunday

HHHHH‘A shining example of

how good improv can be.’ Chortle

SS-StJBrochurePic DL_SS-StJBrochurePic DL 03/12/2014 16:06 Page 1

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SHOWSTOPPER! THE IMPROVISED MUSICALSUNDAY 1 & 22 FEBRUARY

SPONTANEOUS MUSICAL COMEDY AT ITS FINEST!Having stormed their debut performance here last October, we’re delighted to welcome The Showstoppers back to the St. James Theatre!

A brand new musical comedy is created from scratch at each performance of this award-winning show. Audience suggestions are transformed on the spot into an all-singing, all-dancing production always with unpredictable and hilarious results. This incredible comedy troupe never fail to impress as they create shows packed with drama, dazzling dance routines and catchy melodies, leaving delighted audiences singing all the way home.

With seven years as an Edinburgh Fringe must-see phenomenon, four sell-out West End seasons and an acclaimed BBC Radio 4 series to their name, The Showstoppers have delighted audiences across the globe with their ingenious blend of comedy, musical theatre and spontaneity.

So whether you fancy Sondheim on a ski lift or Cole Porter in Poundland - you suggest it and The Showstoppers will sing it!

HHHHH “Achingly funny. Worth seeing again and again.” Times Out Critics’ Choice

PERFORMANCE TIMESSun eves 7.00pm

TICKETS£15, £18.50, £23.50

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Lakin McCarthy presents

RUBY WAX: SANE NEW WORLDDirected by JOANNA BOWENDesigned by ANDRZEJ GOULDINGLighting by TIM MASCALLSound by TOM HACKLEYProduced by MIKE McCARTHY

2 - 14 MARCH

“I’M HILARIOUS, TRUST ME.”Ruby Wax– comedian, writer, mental health campaigner – brings her one-woman show to the St. James Theatre following a sell-out UK tour in 2014. Ruby has based this new show on her No. 1 bestselling book Sane New World: Taming the Mind, which has enjoyed worldwide success since publication in 2013.

Ruby Wax: Sane New World will help us understand why we sabotage our own sanity and provides a manual on how to survive the 21st century, using Ruby’s knowledge from her recent Masters Degree in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy at Oxford University - spiked with comedy.

Using her signature humour, Ruby gives a tour of the brain and how to tame it: “We know so much about how the world works - but so little about our how our own minds work. It’s like having a Ferrari on top of your head but no one gave you the keys.”

PERFORMANCE TIMESMon - Sat eves 7.30pmThurs & Sat mats 2.30pm

TICKETS£20, £25, £30

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Presented in assocaition with Live Nation and the Agency Group

REBECCA FERGUSON19 - 21 MARCHSony Music and Jonathan Shalit OBE are proud to present soul diva Rebecca Ferguson performing her wonderful new album Lady Sings The Blues live for the first time. In the year when Billie Holiday would have celebrated her 100th birthday Rebecca Ferguson and her band will be playing her version of the iconic album in full.

Rebecca Ferguson’s 2010 debut album Heaven was released to overwhelming critical acclaim and went on to sell a million copies. Critics compared her incredible voice to Aretha Frankiln, Nina Simone, Mary J Blige and Macy Gray, with The Times saying that her debut “scaled the heights of Dusty Springfield’s career high ‘Dusty in Memphis’”. Ferguson’s second album Freedom was released in October 2013 and found her honing her songwriting and performing skills into a record which, claimed The Metro, showed her voice to be ‘smoky, steeped in emotion and somehow more seasoned than her years’.

PERFORMANCE TIMESEves 7.30pm

TICKETS£25, £29 (VIP meet and greet seats available for £50 extra)

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Rebecca will also be performing four concerts in the intimate setting of the St. James Studio on 16, 18, 20 & 21 February.

PERFORMANCE TIMES 8.00pmTICKETS £22.50 (VIP meet and greet seats available for £50 extra)

Three Lions 020 St James Brochure Image 99mm w x 210mm t (3mm bleed).indd 1 03/12/2014 11:44

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Rosie Bowen, Jenny Topper and PBJ Management present

THE THREE LIONSWritten by WILLIAM GAMINARADirected by PHILIP WILSONSet & Costume Design by COLIN FALCONERLighting Design by MALCOLM RIPPETH

24 MARCH - 2 MAY

A FOOTBALLER, A PRINCE AND A PRIME MINISTER…This hilarious new comedy offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of diplomacy in action, revealing what really went on between David Cameron, David Beckham and Prince William in a Swiss hotel the night before England’s bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

In spite of missed planes, mistaken identities, misunderstandings and sartorial challenges, they are determined to bring the beautiful game home. But when things start to go disastrously and deliciously wrong, three heads may not be better than one!

HHHH “An exquisite piece of satire” The Spectator

Cast: Dugald Bruce-Lockhurt, Tom Davey, Séan Browne, Antonia Kinlay, Ravi Aujla and Lewis Collier.

PERFORMANCE TIMESMon - Sat eves 7.30pmThur & Sat mats 2.30pm

TICKETS£15, £29.50, £39.50 & Premiums £49.50

“The restaurant is very attractive, nicely designed and has a lovely

atmosphere, and the staff are good. Would highly recommend.”

“Food was great, service was great, very friendly staff, a very nice dining

experience”

“Excellent meal and good value for money, with good service.”

“The staff were excellent”

“Always reliable. Excellent food”

HHHHH St. James presents its award-winning…

RESTAURANT

LUNCHTIME 12pm-3pm

HDINNER

5pm-8pm

RESERVATIONS

restaurants@stjamestheatre.co.uk | 0207 5920 322

OPENMON - SAT

*All quotes are taken from actual reviews

MEET. RELAX. DRINK. EAT.

OPEN MON – SAT | 10AM - LATE (Sunday times vary)

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SUPPORT ST. JAMES

Why not become a Friend of the St. James? Be our best friend!

For more information see our website or email friends@stjamestheatre.co.uk

FRIENDS OF THE ST. JAMES £24

Priority ticket allocation for full price tickets

Priority advance notice of our programme and on-sale dates

Regular updates by email

5% discount on food in the Bar & Brasserie

©Tom Cronin Photography ©Andrew Randall Photography

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BECOME PART OF AN EXPAN DIN G C ULTURAL HUB AND HE L P SUPPORT THE ARTS IN T H E 2 1 ST C ENTURY. . .

Priority advance notice of our programme and on-sale dates

Regular updates by email

5% discount on food in the Bar & Brasserie

As a St. James Club Member you will be allocated a personal contact for all bookings (tickets & hospitality) and invitations to

numerous events, plus scores of additional benefits. Get a tailored experience every time you contact us plus so much more...

SILVER£250

Tickets per year

2 x tickets x 2 shows per year

2 x tickets x 5 shows per year

2 x tickets x 10 shows

per year

Priority ticket allocation for full price tickets

10% discount on food at the Restaurant and in the Bar & Brasserie

Special members rate

Invitation to members nights (with pre-show drinks reception)

Invitation to Q&As, debates & talks

Opportunities to meet the cast

Invitation to the St. James annual celebrations

Press Night tickets allocation

Annual dinner / lunch with the Creative team

GOLD£500

PLATINUM£1,000

For further details please contact Jennifer Reischel – who is very happy to discuss over the phone, on email or in person over a coffee!

0207 654 9900 | jennifer@entertainmentmediagroup.co.uk

* All subject to availability

©Andrew Randall Photography

SIX ICONS. FIVE PLAYS.ONE WORLD PREMIERE.

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SIX ICONS. FIVE PLAYS.ONE WORLD PREMIERE.

0844 264 2140 | stjamestheatre.co.uk

3 - 25 January 2015

Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Richard Burton, Dylan Thomas, Marilyn Monroe and

Marlene Dietrich...unmasked

SIX ICONS. FIVE PLAYS.ONE WORLD PREMIERE.

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SIX ICONS. FIVE PLAYS.ONE WORLD PREMIERE.

0844 264 2140 | stjamestheatre.co.uk

3 - 25 January 2015

CABARET COMEDY MUSIC THEATRE

CLASSICAL KICKSMONDAY 26 JANUARY

8pm | £20 / £25

Following their continued successful residency at Ronnie Scotts, renowned violinist and vocalist Lizzie will bring a world class team of musicians from the classical, jazz, world and opera genre. The first of six shows

in 2015 will take you on a journey through the ‘WORLD’ of classical music and its genre-wide influence incorporating Bach, South African folk songs, Hungarian gypsy melodies, sultry jazz ballads and Latin-American works. With music by J.S Bach, Bartok, Piazzolla, Gershwin and more. “genre-bending” Classical Music Magazine

DANIEL CAINER’S JEWISH CHRONICLESTUESDAY 27 JANUARY

8pm | £15 / £17.50

Fresh from a glowing five week off-Broadway run... Tales of feuding tailors, a Jewess who joins a 1950s Christian

cult, a cocaine addicted rabbi and many more, this award-winning and ever-evolving 5 Star show is a joyous and hilarious collection of stories-in-song, written and performed by a master songwriter. A rich tapestry of family legend and musical folklore to make you both laugh and cry in a heartbeat.

HHHH “Shaggy dog story telling…lovingly detailed” Time Out

EARL OKINFRIDAY 30 JANUARY

8pm | £15 / £17.50

The legendary Earl Okin is one of the finest Jazz and Bossa Nova singer/musicians around, just as popular in Brazil and Australia (not to mention all

over mainland Europe), as in the UK. He is also one of this country’s finest songwriters, so, alongside classic songs by Gershwin, Ellington and Jobim, you may well hear one or two of Okin’s own classics!

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T H E A T R E

T H E A T R E

stjamestheatre.co.uk | 0844 264 2140

St. James Theatre, 12 Palace StreetLondon SW1E 5JA

BY TUBEThe nearest tube is Victoria. We are situated within a 5 minute walk of the station.

PARKINGFree parking after 6.30pm is available in nearby streets.

NATIONAL RAILVictoria Station is less than 5 minutes walk from the theatre.

BY BUSRoutes 16, 38, 52, 73, 42, 148 all pass by near the theatre.

HOW TO FIND US