Window of opportunity: Alice Pryor’s Nella Racksole, Thomas Cotran’s Prince Aribert of Posen, centre, and Bill Champion’s Theodore Racksole. Picture: Andrew Billington
CONRAD Nelson. Deborah McAndrew. Bill Champion. All are names familiar to Yorkshire theatre audiences past and present, but what of Arnold Bennett?
He is as much a part of the Potteries as Nelson and McAndrew’s Stoke-on-Trent company Claybody Theatre, but for all his 34 novels, 13 plays, seven volumes of short stories, several self-help books, screenplays and stories for more than 100 newspapers and periodicals, he may be best known for the Omelette Arnold Bennett, the creamy one with gruyere cheese, smoked fish and béchamel sauce, invented in his name by chef Jean Baptiste Virlogeux while he was staying at The Savoy in 1929 to write his 1930 book Imperial Palace.
Bennett loved The Savoy – his second home – and hotel culture at large, a love expressed in his 1902 “rollicking comedy thriller” The Grand Babylon Hotel (based on The Savoy, apparently).
Alice Pryor’s Nella Racksole and Thomas Cotran’s Prince Aribert of Posen take to the water in The Grand Babylon Hotel. Picture: Andrew Billington
Thrice turned into a film, in 1914, 1916 and1920 (in Germany), now it is transformed into a theatrical whirl of a murder mystery drama in the spruce yet madcap style of Patrick Barlow’s reinvention of The 39 Steps, replete with fabulously attired, flamboyant characters, dextrous movement and dance-step interludes, sleight-of-hand role shifts and equally fast costume, accent and location changes on a rising tide of physical comedy and mentally adroit twists and turns.
Co-artistic director Nelson’s touring cast for McAndrew’s wizard, whizzing Jazz Age stage adaptation adds Stephen Joseph Theatre favourite Bill Champion to four players from last autumn’s premiere at the New Vic.
Champion, cigar seemingly forever betwixt his lips, is playing American railroad billionaire Theodore Racksole, whose demanding daughter, Nella (Alice Pryor), wants filleted steak and Bass beer for her birthday treat.
Michael Hugo’s Ticket Collector in The Grand Babylon Hotel. Picture: Andrew Billington
However, as supercilious maitre d’hotel Jules (Michael Hugo) explains, they are not on Italian chef Rocco’s menu at London’s exclusive Grand Babylon Hotel.
Whereupon Theodore buys the chef, the kitchen, the hotel, lock, stock and barrel of unexpected problems. Big mistake? When Reginald Dimmock (Thomas Cotran) keels over, murder is followed by the kidnapping of Nella.
McAndrew stirs myriad characters into the melting pot, even inventing one, German Nanny Heidi (one of four roles for Shelley Atkinson, including fierce hotel worker Miss Spencer, who may really be Baroness Zerlinski).
Shelley Atkinson’s Nanny Heidi in The Grand Babylon Hotel. Picture: Andrew Billington
Thomas Cotran, who you have seen in Mikron Theatre shows, flits between three roles, the unfortunate Dimmock, the heel-clicking German Prince Aribert of Posen and knife-wielding, moustachioed Italian head chef Rocco, having particular fun with the latter.
They are joined in McAndrew’s trio of “clowns” by Michael Hugo, once a fixture in Northern Broadsides productions, and still as elastic and electric in his comic tomfoolery, stealing scene after scene like acts of daylight “rubbery”.
He plays a sextet of roles, each with a different accent, rhythm of speech, manner of movement, whether the alarming Jules, the dastardly Tom Jackson, the Cockney detective Marshall, the Porter or the hypochondriac Prince Eugen of Posen.
Most amusing of all is his growling French ticket collector, fag in mouth, playing tricks on the audience members when asking them to hold a boarding rope. In Tom Jackson mode, aboard a boat, he even asks “beefy John” from the front row to take over the wheel. You won’t see a comic tour de force to rival Hugo on a Yorkshire stage this year, whether leaping into a basket or being thrown around like a rag doll when Prince Eugen is assumed to be dead.
Lis Evans’s costumes are a playful delight, while her open-plan set design can be adapted for differing venues, letting the cast do the heavy lifting in conveying locations, such as when Champion’s Theodore mimes his journey of discovery through the hotel’s unseen interior, banging his head three times on thin air!
Champion and Pryor play it straight while still playing off the crazed comic energy of Atkinson, Cotran and especially Hugo as Nelson’s direction judges the pacing perfectly, each scene surpassing the last.
James Atherton’s compositions, Daniella Beattie’s lighting and floor projections, Damian Coldwell’s sound design and Beverley Norris-Edmunds’ movement direction and choreography all play their part in making The Grand Babylon Hotel so swish and stylish, topped off by Nick Haverson’s physical comedy direction.
Nelson’s cast uses the assets of the SJT’s in-the-round structure to the max, from Champion delivering monologues from the stairways to the three entry points being in constant use. No doubt, the show will adapt to Harrogate Theatre’s classical proscenium arch next month with equal elan.
Wherever you choose to go to see Champion, Atkinson, Cotran, Pryor and Hugo in particular, book now.
Claybody Theatre in The Grand Babylon Hotel, Stephen Joseph Theatre, until Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee; Harrogate Theatre, April 1 to 4, 7.30pm and 2pm Saturday matinee. Box office: Scarborough,01723 370541 or sjt.uk.com; Harrogate, 01423 502116 or harrogatetheatre.co.uk.
Claybody Theatre’s poster for The Grand Babylon Hotel
Family matters: Niamh Rose (Natalie), left, Monica Frost (Diana), Matthew Warry (Gabe) and Dale Vaughan (Dan) in a scene from Next To Normal. Picture: Emma Darbyshire
YORK company Pick Me Up Theatre follows up Christmas hit Anything Goes with Next To Normal’s intimate exploration of family and illness, loss and grief at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York.
Running from March 25 to April 4, this winner of three 2009 Tony Awards and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize combines book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey with music by Tom Kitt in its musical account of how one suburban household copes with crisis and mental illness.
Andrew Isherwood directs Pick Me Up’s cast of Monica Frost, Dale Vaughan, Niamh Rose, Matthew Warry, Fergus Green and Ryan Richardson in the story of architect Dad, Mom rushing to pack lunches and pour cereal, and their bright, wise-cracking teenage daughter and son.
Outwardly, they appear to be a typical American family, and yet their lives are anything but normal, because the mother has been battling manic depression for 16 years.
“Next To Normal takes audiences into the minds and hearts of each character, presenting their family’s story of dealing with mental illness with love, sympathy and heart,” says Andrew, who is joined in the production team by musical director James Robert Ball and producer/designer Robert Readman.
“It’s a relatively new work that’s not been done in York before, chosen by Robert [company founder and artistic director Robert Readman], who had this great idea to segue The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time [April 2025], Everybody’s Talking About Jamie [July 2025] and now – after the festive hiatus for Anything Goes – Next To Normal as three musicals that tackle mental health.
Dale Vaughan, front, and Ryan Richardson in rehearsal for Pick Me Up Theatre’s Next To Normal. Picture: Emma Darbyshire
“‘Curious Incident’ was told through the mind of a child [who called himself a ‘mathematician with some behavioural difficulties’]; ‘Jamie’ was a coming-of-age story of a teenage drag queen facing bigotry; Next To Normal is told through the parents’ eyes and deals with mental illness and facing a crisis. All three have incredible family drama at their core, even family dysfunction.”
Monica Frost plays Diana, the mother with a bipolar condition. “Monica has a huge task, but for all of the cast it’s such an emotionally taxing show, where we’ve discussed at length dealing with the grief of loss, processing it, and how it might have exacerbated her bipolar condition,” says Andrew.
He is delighted by the contribution of Dale Vaughan too as husband Dan. “He’s been terrific from the moment he came into the audition, having seen him for the first time in Pick Me Up’s Fun Home last September, when I thought, ‘blimey, where have you been hiding?’!”
Diana is undergoing Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). “There’s a scene that depicts that, and because this show can be quite dark, we’re trying to find moments of light too, otherwise it could be ‘misery porn’,” says Andrew.
“Thought we don’t show it, there’s a heavy revelation of suicidal tendencies, and because the subject is very complex, we need to handle it with care. The story is told with references to the past, shown through flashbacks, to show how Diana hasn’t addressed the loss of her child before or dealt with her grief.”
Matthew Warry and Niamh Rose in the rehearsal room
In putting the show together in rehearsals, “the way I like to work and the way I’ve worked with musical director James Robert Ball was to give him the show for the first four weeks because the music is such a massive component,” says Andrew.
“So we’ve focused on that first, learning the music and the lyrics, before we started building in the lighting, the costumes, the props, the entries and the exits, getting the skeleton together for the songs, ” says Andrew.
Then he set about “moving the cast around the stage, getting them to move with my interpretation,” he adds. “It’s not choreography of sorts, but if you sit in a chair for too long, it can swallow you up, but by moving them around it helps to tell the story.”
Dialogue between songs is as important as the big numbers. “It’s what the actor James Willstrop calls ‘my detail work’,” says Andrew, who won the Best Direction prize in February’s York Theatre Community Awards for The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time.
Meanwhile, Readman’s set design and Adam Moore’s lighting enable a physical manifestation of Diana’s state of mind, such as stairs representing transition or the use of a box for the ECT treatment as a manifestation of the world closing in on her.
Analysing the title of Next To Normal, Andrew says: “What is our interpretation of ‘normal’ when you have a family trying to function with all the complexities of life? But you also want the audience to leave the theatre feeling uplifted, so if it’s not ‘normal’ , then this life is considered to be ‘next to normal’ for the family. That’s what works for them.”
Pick Me Up Theatre in Next To Normal, Theatre@41, Monkgate, York, March 25 to April 4, 7.30pm except March 29 and 30; 2.30pm, March 28 & 29 and April 4. Box office: https://tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.
Pick Me Up Theatre’s poster artwork for Next To Normal
“All rise”: Cathy Walker in her role as the court usher in Murder Trial Tonight Iv: Death Of A Landlord
ALL rise for season four of Tigerslane Studios’ immersive true-crime theatre series, Murder Trial Tonight. Court will be in session at York Barbican for Sunday’s jury-led murder mystery experience at 2.30pm.
After three tours and more than 125,000 audience members serving as jurors, now comes Death Of A Landlord, on tour from February to July, as a fresh case puts you, the audience, in the front row on jury service as a true crime echoes long after the gavel strikes.
Known for blurring the lines between stagecraft and social experiment, Murder Trial Tonight continues to push the boundaries of live courtroom drama and immersive storytelling, under the direction of Graham Watts for a fourth time.
“This isn’t just a show,” says Graham. “It’s a test of our own biases and empathy. It forces you to confront uncomfortable truths about society and our justice system.”
In Death Of A Landlord, wealthy, ruthless landlord Victor Sloane is discovered dead in his office, his young child being the only witness to the crime. Reclusive tenant Tre Bennet, struggling with mental health challenges, is charged with the murder.
Tigerslane Studios’ cast for Murder Trial Tonight IV: Death Of A Landlord
The police claim he had the clearest motive – months of unpaid rent, repeated eviction threats and allegations that Sloane verbally abused his mother – but is Bennet truly the killer or does more lie beneath the surface?
The story begins on screen, giving the audience the backdrop and opening to the true-crime story. Then, the action moves to the stage for the live murder trial, immersing the audience in a fast-paced courtroom experience.
As jurors, you will hear prosecution and defence counsels argue their case and cross-examine witnesses as critical evidence is brought to the table. Then, by order of the judge, you will deliberate in real time with fellow audience members and deliver your verdict: Guilty or Not Guilty. At the close of the trial, the shocking real-life outcome of the case is revealed on the big screen. The question is, will you be correct in your verdict?
From the West End to regional venues, seasoned theatre-goers to first-time visitors, Murder Trial Tonight sparks debate long after the curtain falls. “These cases follow you home,” says founder and writer Steve Cummings. “Jurors don’t stop dissecting every twist and turn once they leave the courtroom. Hours, or even days, later, whether at the dinner table, in a pub or online, the debates are still raging.”
Among the cast will be Cathy Walker, on her latest return to York, where she took her first steps as a professional actress. “My first job out of drama school was at Riding Lights Theatre Company in 1993,” she recalls. “I worked with the company for two years, touring all these tiny villages in Paul Burbridge’s productions, appearing with the likes of Bridget Foreman [York playwright and university lecturer]. I have such happy memories of being in York.”
Karren Winchester as Her Honour Judge Amanda Livingstone KCin Death Of A Landlord
Cathy’s connections with Yorkshire began in Sheffield, where she studied English Literature and Drama at university. “That set me on the path to becoming an actress,” she says. “The drama department was great, giving us lots of freedom to experiment, which was a wonderful opportunity.”
Cathy was in Tigerslane Studios’ cast for Murder Trial Tonight III – The Doorstep Case too, visiting York Barbican on April 29 2025. “We had a great time there last year, so I’m delighted to be going back,” she says.
“I have the humble role of playing the court usher, but I have more lines to learn than anyone else because I’m also understudying the Judge, the Prosecution lawyer and the detective.
“In my acting life, I’ve been fortunate as an understudy. Within my understudy history, I’ve jumped in to perform alongside Reece Shearsmith and Lee Mack, but last year, when I was understudying the barrister and the judge, I got to do neither of them as the actors were super-healthy and super-conscientious!
“But I love my role as the court usher as I’m the audience’s first experience of ‘being in court’, making them stand up [by saying ‘All rise’], so they laugh at first but then they get nervous as they realise they’re being talked to in a formal way and that they’re in it as the jury.
Guilty or Not Guilty? You decide as jurors in MurderTrial Tonight: Death Of A Landlord
“So it’s a collaborative experience, although in theory people could get a bit ‘harumphy’, objecting to being told what to do, but they take their responsibilities very seriously, knowing that it’s up to them whether the defendant will go down or not.”
Audience members will place their Guilty or Not Guilty vote by QR code, whereupon the audience’s foreperson of the jury will give that verdict to Cathy’s usher, who will reveal whether the verdict was unanimous or by majority. In the denouement, the cast will play out what happened in the real case.
For all the theatricality of Murder Trial Tonight, Cathy notes how audiences treat their involvement with gravitas. “I guess that most of us have known or experienced or read about a case and had a feeling of powerlessness, whereas you can flex your muscles in this courtroom,” she says.
“It really does take audience interaction to a different level, and that’s why people are ‘living’ it, committing to it, coming to every year’s Murder Trial Tonight.
“When I listen in to the deliberations in the interval, it’s fascinating because they’re so involved, and when they’re watching the case unfold you can hear a pin drop. I love this form of theatre, when it’s so immersive.”
Tigerslane Studios presents Murder Trial Tonight IV, Death Of A Landlord, York Barbican, Sunday (22/3/2026), Running time: Two hours 50 minutes, including interval & audience/jury deliberation. Age recommendation: 16 plus. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk and murdertrialtonight.com.Also Hull Connexin Live, tomorrow (20/3/2026), 7.30pm. Box office: connexinlivehull.com.
Newsflash
CATHY Walker will understudy the Detective’s role in Murder Trial Tonight IV: Death Of A Landlord, at Easterbrook Hall, in Dumfries, on April 3 when her mother will be in the 7.30pm audience.
The poster for Murder Trial Tonight IV: Death Of A Landlord
The artwork for Alfie Boe’s April 10 album Face Yourself
AHEAD of his York Barbican concert on April 28, tenor Alfie Boe addresses his roots in northwest England on new single Face Myself.
Recorded at Le Mob Studio, Branland, London, the title track from his April 10 new album evokes imagery of Liverpool’s shipyards, the illuminations in Blackpool and indie and dance music of his teenage years, with references to legendary Manchester club the Hacienda, as well as paying tribute to The Stone Roses’ bassist, Mani, who passed away last year.
The album will be his first record to feature predominantly original material. “Face Myself is a tribute to the North and to my youth, back in the days when I was into the indie movement and hopped on the train to Manchester every weekend to see bands, when The Stone Roses came on the scene, then Inspiral Carpets and The Charlatans, the Hacienda and the Northern Quarter in Manchester,” says Blackpool-born Boe, now 52.
“It has the line ‘The Roses sing our indie song, we bang the drum, home is the place where time won’t change us’, remembering the way we celebrated that music.”
Boe continues: “At the time that I was writing that song, we heard about the tragic death of Mani from The Stone Roses and Primal Scream. I put in a little tribute, which goes: ‘Dreams are grown in Burnage skies, a golden past that made us cry. The prom is glorified with lights, for good old Mani played it right. Those Cranwell boys, they sang along.’
“Face Myself is a tribute to the North and to my youth, back in the days when I was into the indie movement,” says Alfie Boe. Picture: Ray Burmiston
“I only met Mani once and never really got to know him – I wish I had. The ‘Cranwell boys’ is a reference to Liam and Noel Gallagher, who grew up in Cranwell Drive in Burnage.”
Before Boe found fame as a tenor on the great British stages, he had a scrape with indie fame, in the role of Opera Dude with The Clint Boon Experience – Clint being keyboard player for Manchester indie legends Inspiral Carpets – when supporting York band Shed Seven. Earlier, he had been a teen drummer in a band but had to stay in school instead of going on tour.
Face Myself is one of the key songs Boe wanted to write, with the title ringing in his head before the track took shape. “I thought, what is it about me that I have that I have to face?” he recalls. “For me, it was a number of moments in the past: my childhood, my teenage years, what got me to where I am today, the stories of my personal life.
“Reflecting on those things fed into other songs on the album as well. It’s been a wonderful journey doing that.”
The new single follows the poignant Meanwhile Gardens, lifted from the album produced by MyRiot (Tim Bran and Roy Kerr), whose credits include London Grammar and Primal Scream.
The itinerary for Alfie Boe’s Facing Myself tour
Born Alfred Giovanni Roncalli Boe on September 29 1973 , Boe’s career has spanned stage, recording and television. He has released more than a dozen studio albums, several of them topping the UK charts en route to multi-platinum sales. His collaborations with Michael Ball, including the record-breaking Together, Together Again and Back Together, have been complemented by sold-out arena tours.
The Tony Award winner has conquered the world’s greatest opera stages and arenas and led the cast of Les Misérables in his defining role as Jean Valjean, also starring in the concert tour of Les Misérables in Australia and the Arena Spectacular tour across the UK.
He has appeared at Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Royal Albert Hall too and was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2019, in recognition of his outstanding services to music and charity.
Boe’s 35-date Facing Myself tour will take in further Yorkshire concerts at Hull City Hall on April 24, Harrogate Royal Hall, April 29 and Sheffield City Hall, May 1. Tickets are on sale at https://gigst.rs/AB26; yorkbarbican.co.uk.
His 2026 tour show will combine his most iconic hits and fan-favourite classics with a showcase of material from Face Myself.
This 30 Years of Standing Ovations milestone event promises a grand celebration of the revolutionary Irish dance production’s legacy, after captivating more than 60 million fans in 60 countries since its 1996 debut.
The 30 Years of Standing Ovations tour will feature “brand-new choreography, stunning costumes, state-of-the-art special effects and cutting-edge lighting, ensuring that the production continues to push boundaries and deliver an unforgettable experience”.
Creative manager James Keegan says: “Michael Flatley has taught me that there are no boundaries in the creative space. When he burst onto the scene in the mid-90s, he took traditional Irish dancing to a place nobody had ever dreamed of, and that has been the key to the show’s success.
“Michael often says in rehearsals that we need to push the boundaries as much as we can, and if it’s too far or doesn’t work, we can always pull it back. That mindset is what keeps Lord Of The Dance evolving.”
Michael Flatley
Keegan believes that the core elements of Flatley’s visionary production – choreography, music and storytelling – remain timeless while still evolving. “What made Lord Of The Dance famous 30 years ago is still what makes it work today: 40 of the greatest Irish tap dancers in the world performing in one line in perfect sync. It’s a spectacle that never loses its magic,” he says.
Reflecting on Flatley’s impact, Keegan says: “Professional Irish dancing didn’t really exist until Michael created his shows and added a more entertaining twist to the art form.
“He wasn’t just a dancer; he was a highly tuned athlete who could perform at astonishing levels for a full two-hour show, seven days a week. Today, we see young competitive dancers around the world striving to reach the levels he set.”
But beyond the footwork and the spectacle, Keegan reckons Flatley’s greatest legacy is his ability to inspire. “Michael’s motto has always been, ‘Nothing is impossible.’ He took an already intricate dance form and pushed it even further, breaking records like 38 taps per second and incorporating upper body movements that defied tradition,” he says.
“I’ve seen it time and time again: a dancer who never thought they could be a lead receives Michael’s encouragement, and before long, they are fulfilling their dream on stage.”
For Keegan, one moment stands out above the rest. “In 1997, I was a ten-year-old competitive Irish dancer in Manchester, struggling with the name-callers and the challenges of being a young male dancer,” he says.
Michael Flatley with his Lord Of The Dance dancers
“Then Lord Of The Dance came to town. Watching Michael and the cast that night at the Apollo Theatre changed everything for me. The masculinity, the precision, the energy, it was like nothing I’d ever seen before.
“I met Michael at the stage door, and suddenly, I knew that being an Irish dancer could mean being a superstar. Nineteen years later, I had the honour of sharing his final show with him at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, in 2016. It was a full-circle moment I will never forget.”
As Lord Of The Dance prepares to embark on its 30th anniversary tour, Flatley reflects on the journey. “The magic of Lord Of The Dance lives on in the hearts of our audience, and I am thrilled to bring this iconic show back to the UK in 2026,” he says.
“30 Years of Standing Ovations celebrates the incredible journey we’ve shared with fans over the years. It’s a tribute to the enduring power of dreams, the joy of dance and the unwavering support of our audience. This tour is our way of saying thank you for three decades of unforgettable memories.”
Although Flatley, now 67, retired from performing during his final tour in 2016, he has remained at the helm of Lord Of The Dance, guiding its evolution while preserving its timeless magic.
Now, as the production prepares for its biggest celebration yet, fans can look forward to a breathtaking spectacle that honours the past, embraces the present, and inspires the future of Irish dance.
The 30th anniversary tour will open at Bradford Live from June 11 to 14; further Yorkshire performances will follow at Hull New Theatre, July 22 to 25, and Sheffield City Hall, August 20 to 23. For full tour dates and ticket information, go to lordofthedance.com.
The poster for the 30th anniversary tour of Michael Flatley’s Lord Of The Dance
Leeds abstract surrealist Nicolas Dixon, front, spotted at the launch of the debut RARE v WET exhibition with WET proprietors James Wall and Ella Williams and RARE Collective organiser Sharon McDonagh
A SURREALIST wine bar exhibition, a comedy thriller in an hotel and Australian children’s games stir Charles Hutchinson’s interest.
Exhibition of the week: Nicolas Dixon, RARE v WET, at WET, Micklegate, York, until April 22
YORK artist and event organiser Sharon McDonagh and DJ/artist Sola launch their RARE v WET series of solo exhibitions in aid of York charity SASH (Safe and Sound Homes) at WET, James Wall and Ella Williams’ indie wine bar and restaurant, with Nicolas Dixon first up.
Leeds abstract surrealist Dixon’s murals and artworks have become landmarks in Leeds, including at Kirkgate Market, Trinity Shopping Centre and the University of Leeds, as well as Leeds United tributes to the 1972 FA Cup Winners at Elland Road and the iconic Bielsa the Redeemer in Wortley. On show is a mixture of new and older work, both prints and originals.
In the shadows: Michael Hugo in Claybody Theatre’s The Grand Babylon Hotel. Picture: Andrew Billington
Thriller of the week: Claybody Theatre in The Grand Babylon Hotel, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, tonight to Saturday, 7.30pm plus 1.30pm Thursday and 2.30pm Saturday matinees; Harrogate Theatre, April 1 to 4, 7.30pm plus 2pm Saturday matinee
CONRAD Nelson directs an ensemble cast of multiple flamboyant characters in a rollicking comedy thriller of rapid-fire character changes, sharp humour and theatrical fun, presented in association with the New Vic Theatre.
In Deborah McAndrew’s adaptation of Arnold Bennett’s novel, Nella Racksole discovers steak and beer are not on the menu for her birthday treat at the exclusive Grand Babylon Hotel, prompting her American millionaire father to buy the chef, the kitchen, the entire hotel. Cue kidnapping and murder. Have Theodore and Nella bitten off more than they can chew? Box office: Scarborough, 01723 370541 or sjt.uk.com; Harrogate, 01423 502116 or harrogatetheatre.co.uk.
Bluey’s Big Play: Australian bean bags, games and cleverness at Grand Opera House, York
Children’s show of the week: Windmill Theatre Co in Bluey’s Big Play, Grand Opera House, York, 10am, tomorrow and Friday; 10am, 1pm and 4pm, Saturday and Sunday
COMBINING puppets and original voices from Ludo Studios’ Emmy Award-winning Australian children’s television series, including Dave McCormack and Melanie Zanetti as Dad and Mum, this theatrical adaptation is based on an original story by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, featuring music by series composer Joff Bush. When Dad wants a bean bag time-out, Bluey and Bingo have other plans as they pull out all the games and cleverness at their disposal. Box office: atgtickets.com/york.
The Brand New Heavies: Acid Jazz joy, funk, love and fancy clothes at York Barbican
York gig of the week: The Brand New Heavies, York Barbican, tomorrow, doors 7pm
EALING Acid Jazz pioneers The Brand New Heavies – Simon Bartholomew, vocals and guitar, Andrew Levy, bass and keyboards, and Angela Ricci, vocals – mark their 35th anniversary with a 12-date tour that takes in York Barbican as their only Yorkshire destination. Expect joy, funk, love and fancy clothes. Galliano support. Box office: yorkbarbican.co.uk.
Lizzie Lawton’s Jack Worthing, front, and Jorja Cartwright’s Algernon Moncrieff in Rowntree Players’ The Importance Of Being Earnest
Comedy classic of the week: Rowntree Players in The Importance Of Being Earnest, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York, tomorrow to Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2pm Saturday matinee
ROWNTREE Players bring Oscar Wilde’s 1895 farcical comedy of manners to the York stage in the original four-act version reconstructed by Vyvyan Holland, under the direction of Hannah Shaw.
Lizzie Lawton’s Jack Worthing and Jorja Cartwright’s Algernon Moncrieff lead double lives under the false name of “Ernest” to escape social obligations, leading to romantic entanglements and comedic misunderstandings, played out by a cast featuring Jeanette Hambridge’s Lady Bracknell, Bethan Olliver’s Gwendolen Fairfax, Katie Shaw’s Cecily Cardew, Wayne Osguthorpe’s Reverend Canon Chasuble, Rebecca Thomson’s Miss Prism and Max Palmer’s Lane/Merriman. Box office: 01904 501935 or josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk.
Jessica Fostekew: “The silliest of comedy for the scariest of days”in Iconic Breath at Pocklington Arts Centre
Comedy gig of the week: Jessica Fostekew: Iconic Breath, Pocklington Arts Centre, Friday, 8pm
ICONIC Breath, Jessica Fostekew’s most rousing and uplifting show yet, provides the silliest of comedy for the scariest of days as The Guilty Feminist, Hoovering and Contender Ready podcaster discusses tolerance and temperance.
“I can feel myself becoming an emotional wildebeest right when my world (and the whole world, thanks) demands cool, collected, ultra detached, saint-like kindness and understanding,” says Fostekew, who has hosted two series of Sturdy Girl Club on BBC Radio 4. Box office: 01759 301547 or pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.
The Budapest Café Orchestra: Fronted by Christian Garrick at Helmsley Arts Centre
Snappiest attire of the week: Christian Garrick & The Budapest Café Orchestra, National Centre for Early Music, York, Friday, 7.30pm, sold out; Helmsley Arts Centre, Saturday, 7.30pm
CHRISTIAN Garrick (violin, darbuka), Murray Grainger (accordion), Kelly Cantlon (double bass) and Adrian Zolotuhin (guitar, saz, balalaika, domra) team up in this refreshingly unconventional and snappily attired boutique orchestra. Playing gypsy and folk-flavoured music in a unique and surprising way, The Budapest Café Orchestra combine Balkan and Russian traditional music with artful distillations of Romantic masterworks and soaring Gaelic folk anthems.
Established by British composer Garrick in 2009, BCO have 16 albums to their name, marked by an “astonishing soundscape and aural alchemy” characteristic of larger ensembles, evoking Tzigane fiddle maestros, Budapest café life and gypsy campfires. Box office: 01439 771700 or helmsleyarts.co.uk.
Hope & Social: Unforgettable spectacle, energetic songs and chaotic moments at Milton Rooms, Malton
Ryedale gig of the week: Hope & Social, Milton Rooms, Malton, Saturday, 8pm
LEEDS band Hope & Social’s eight musicians pour their heart and soul into creating exuberant, high-energy tunes in gigs full of pure joy, infectious enthusiasm, unforgettable spectacle and chaotic moments.
Each performance by “Yorkshire’s own E-Street Band” is spiced up with Northern wit and self-deprecating humour as a powerhouse three-piece horn section and intricate five-part harmonies contribute to a massive sound that spans genres, drawing influence from soul, indie, folk, disco and art rock. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.
Crosscut Saw’s Alex Eden : Leading his blues band at Milton Rooms, Malton
Blues gig of the week: Ryedale Blues Club presents Crosscut Saw, Milton Rooms, Malton, March 26, 8pm
YORKSHIRE blues trio Crosscut Saw’s Alex Eden (lead singer, guitarist and harmonica player), Richard Ferdinando (drums) and Richard Green (bass) draw inspiration from Magic Sam, RL Burnside, Taj Mahal and Dr John in performances marked by raw energy and unpredictability.
They hold a monthly residency at the Duck & Drake in Leeds, have played the Great British Blues Festival and Tenby Blues Festival, collaborated with TJ Norton, Paddy Wells and The Haggis Horns and worked as a backing band for Jake Walker and King Rollo. Box office: 01653 696240 or themiltonrooms.com.
Alice Pryor, back row, left, Bill Champion, Shelley Atkinson, Thomas Cotran, front row, left, and Michael Hugo in Claybody Theatre’s The Grand Babylon Hotel. Picture: Andrew Billington
CLAYBODY Theatre are heading to Scarborough and Harrogate with Deborah McAndrew’s stage adaptation of Arnold Bennett’s 1902 rollicking comedy thriller The Grand Babylon Hotel.
The Stoke-on-Trent company’s co-artistic director Conrad Nelson directs Shelley Atkinson, Thomas Cotran, Michael Hugo, Alice Pryor and Bill Champion in Bennett’s tale of Nella Racksole discovering steak and beer are not on the Grand Babylon Hotel menu for her birthday treat, whereupon her American Railroad millionaire father obligingly buys the chef, the kitchen, the hotel.
However, Theodore Racksole soon finds more on his plate than a juicy steak, with kidnapping and murder for starters. Have Theodore and Nella bitten off more than they can chew?
Conrad left the artistic director’s role at Northern Broadsides in 2018, the same year that Deborah wrote her last play for the Halifax company. The couple headed off to the Potteries, establishing Claybody Theatre and forging links with the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme, their partners for The Grand Babylon Hotel, whose tour arrives at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, tomorrow. Harrogate Theatre awaits from April 1 to 4.
Here director Conrad and writer Deborah discuss comedy styles, touring, Bennett’s stories and the need for silliness in 2026.
What inspired you to take your work on the road?
Conrad: “It’s a first for Claybody, but not for us as artists. It’s been an ambition for the company for some time, and of course we have a history of touring with previous companies.But also, we were heavily encouraged by fellow artists, artistic directors, theatres and other supporters who will often travel to Stoke-on-Trent to see us.”
Deborah: “When you’re adapting a piece, the material often invites a certain type of treatment. I always knew that this novel would respond best to a small cast, multi-rolling, narrative storytelling, hat swapping, comic playing…in the style of [Patrick Barlow’s] The 39 Steps. Therefore, it’s portable. One of the first things I said was: ‘I think this could tour’.”
Playwright Deborah McAndrew
How did this tour take shape, Deborah?
“We approached the New Vic and said, ‘Do you fancy making this show with us?’ and they said ‘yes’. So we did the show there in the autumn, and we acquired funding from Arts Council England for a short tour, with the plan being to run it at The Dipping House in Stoke and then take it on the road to Hull, Scarborough, Colchester and Harrogate.”
Why tour this 1902 Arnold Bennett story in Deborah’s adaption now?
Conrad: “It’s a great introduction for people who haven’t been to the theatre before or haven’t been for a while; it’s a popular piece of well-crafted, high-quality theatre, which will speak to pretty much anyone, and that’s what theatres are wanting and needing right now to fill their auditorium.”
Deborah: “It’s something that can be absolutely billed as a comedy. People want to be entertained, they want light relief, and it’s the job of those of us who work in the arts to bring relief, distraction and enjoyment. As well as to enlighten, expose and discuss.
“The scales too often weigh heavily on the worthy side of the work, and actually, we must remember the value of the arts in lifting people’s hearts, bringing them together with other human beings to have an experience which makes them more fortified to go out and tackle their lives and the world outside – which at the moment is full of uncertainty, anxiety, violence and concern.
“Going out there with a comedy is right for the times, right for the audience and absolutely right for what we need to do with Claybody right now.”
Stephen Joseph Theatre favourite Bill Champion in the role of Theodore Racksole. Picture: Andrew Billington
To those new to Claybody Theatre’s work, how would you describe the style of this show?
Conrad: “It’s billed as a ‘rollicking comedy thriller’, and we’d invite audiences to come with an open heart, an open mind, and just be ready to be entertained. Within the rollicking comedy, there is real quality; it’s accessible and it’s fun.
“It’s driven by the thing that audiences love most; creativity with actors. We’re making this work with a lot of love, and it’s for the audience, not for ourselves. That’s critical in the way that we make work; how is it going to be received? How is it going to charm, affect, cheer? Without the audience, we are nowhere.”
Deborah: “The characters are warm and likeable, even the dastardly villain is somebody you want to be in the room with. There’s a lovely warmth and charm about these actors that we’re working with as well. They’re people who you want to spend an evening with and have a laugh with.”
Which character did you enjoy writing most and why, Deborah?
“Well, I like funny voices! That’s probably the actor in me. Nanny Heidi is not in the book – I would say, her, because she’s brilliantly performed by Shelley Atkinson, who knows how to do that size of characterisation. And the very ridiculous Frenchman who’s on the boats, which was written by me, and Conrad and Mike Hugo just run with it.”
How would you describe Claybody Theatre’s connection with the audience, Conrad?
“The audience are the whole reason to exist, from the start of the writing into rehearsals, it is a participatory event, and it’s grounded in that. We keep that connection at the forefront of everything we do.
“Deborah had the idea that this show should be an actor–driven piece that would be ideal to tour. All the cast have a fantastic synergy with the audience, establishing that wonderful connection that makes people want to see them again. They are magical performers; it’s not every actor’s gift to be a communicator, but our cast are just really good at delivering the text. It’s a bit of a romp but done with such high quality.”
Thomas Cotran and Alice Pryor in The Grand Babylon Hotel. Picture: Andrew Billington
What draws you to Arnold Bennett’s writing, Deborah, having done Anna Of The Five Towns for the New Vic before the pandemic and The Card in 2022?
“He has brilliant female characters, I really love his women, they feel very real. He writes about characters that I want to spend time with.
“They’re a bit more caricatured in The Grand Babylon Hotel, because it’s a pot-boiler; he wrote it for pure entertainment in serial form. But when you get into his more literary works, like Anna Of The Five Towns, or The Old Wives Tale, you get these complex and interesting characters, particularly female characters.
“His stories respond very well to being transferred to the stage with all these great characters, and when we’re looking for stories to do with Claybody that are related to the Potteries, his work stands out.
“But also when we’ve been asked by our friends at Hull [Truck Theatre], Harrogate and Scarborough, ‘did we have anything we could take there’, it’s expensive to tour, but I thought Bennett’s storytelling would respond to a small cast.”
On tour, how does each theatre space shape the way you tell the story, Conrad?
“Well, the space does really tell the story. You come in, and you play the space that you’ve got. You look at the merits of the space and then play it.
“In the conversion to thrust, in-the-round in Scarborough, and then a traditional proscenium arch space like Harrogate, it doesn’t matter where you see it from, the stage has to feel deep, otherwise you get very flat performances.
Michael Hugo’s Ticket Collector in The Grand Babylon Hotel. Picture: Andrew Billington
“So you respond to the size and intimacy of space, and that’s also to do with the actors’ experience. When the actors come in on the morning, they have to convert their performance extremely quickly. It’s exciting, it gives it a bit of frisson!
“If you come and see it on the first night, you’ll get that lovely energy of actors figuring out what it sounds like. Because you can open your mouth in a different space and it sounds completely different; that’s part of the director’s job to make sure that you’re telling the actor truthfully how it plays.”
Why is it important to create shows that celebrate silliness these days?
Conrad: “I think that’s partly to do with what audiences respond to. You can do a really well crafted, difficult piece of theatre, and then somebody puts on a hat and does a f*rt gag and it gets the biggest response of the evening.
“So we like a bit of bonkers, a bit of eccentricity, you just have to look around on any high street and you will see it in spades. People are anything but dull and characterless. And given the right motivation, we all love a bit of nuts.”
Deborah: “Comedy has always been used as a tool of anarchy. We use comedy to undermine some of the power that people have; it’s being used as a weapon across the world right now, isn’t it? Comedy helps us get through dark times.
“The Grand Babylon Hotel is silly and easy to go with, and hopefully people who might be feeling a bit down, or don’t feel like coming out the theatre, will actually be glad they did. They might get their tank topped up a bit in terms of resilience because I think that’s what comedy can do for us.”
Shelley Atkinson’s Nanny Heidi: the character that Deborah McAndrew most enjoyed writing in her script for The Grand Babylon Hotel. Picture: Andrew Billington
How does the cast share out the parts in The Grand Babylon Hotel, Deborah?
“We have the two American central characters, Theodore and Nella, then three multi-rolling clowns playing everybody else, including the gang of villains. It feels very modern. Bennett was writing at the turn of the [20th] century, so it’s late-Victorian, but feels Edwardian, and we’ve lifted it to ten years later than that.
“Only two characters are American. They’re staying at the Grand Babylon Hotel in London, modelled on The Savoy – Bennett loved that hotel , and of course The Savoy has its famous Arnold Bennett Omelette [created for the novelist in 1929 with its combination of smoked haddock, Gruyère cheese and béchamel sauce].
“The characters are mostly English but there’s also a fake Russian, a Belgian too. I’ve had lots of fun with French, German and Italian characters where I’ve added the actual language, but done in a way that the audience will be able to understand.”
How would you sum up the reaction to the show so far?
Deborah: “What really tells you how they feel is the comments on our Facebook pages, where the response has been chock-full of people saying they’ve been laughing all the way through. Ninety-nine per cent have said they’ve really loved it, and felt they really needed a play like this time when the world is so full of anxieties. This show affirms our humanity, our connectedness, as we laugh together.
“We’re very proud of this show, taking great pleasure in listening to the audience, feeling the warmth in the room.”
Conrad: “That’s the key. As much as attention to detail is important in our work, we are making the show for our audience, not for ourselves. That’s why we still make theatre: that connection between the artist and the audience.”
Claybody Theatre, The Grand Babylon Hotel, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, March 18 to 21,7.30pm plus 1.30pm Thursday and 2.30pm Saturday matinees; Harrogate Theatre, April 1 to 4, 7.30pm plus 2pm Saturday matinee. Box office: Scarborough, 01723 370541 or sjt.uk.com; Harrogate, 01423 502116 or harrogatetheatre.co.uk.
In the shadows: Michael Hugo in The Grand Babylon Hotel. Picture: Andrew Billington
Bass-baritone soloist Alex Ashworth. Picture: Debbie Scanlan
THE opening “Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen” – scored for double choir and double orchestra – set the performance tone impeccably.
The beautifully judged slow processional unfolding – surely one of the most distinguished openings in all music – allowed the textures to breathe. Bach immediately establishes the Passion’s grand dramatic architecture: public narrative and crowd commentary interwoven with moments of intensely personal reflection.
The performance used an English translation; original German titles are used here when referring to individual movements.
The simple question-and-answer phrases of the two choirs acted as dramatic crowd commentary, while the soprano ripieno choir (from St Peter’s School) sang the floating chorale “O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig” impeccably. The YMS orchestra provided the dotted rhythmic processional underpinning.
This antiphonal, call-and-response writing was further exploited by director David Pipe in the positioning of the six soloists. Bass-baritone Alex Ashworth, singing the role of Jesus, performed from the elevated pulpit, while tenor Gwilym Bowen, as the Evangelist, was placed on the left-hand side of the performance space.
The remaining soloists – soprano Clare Lloyd-Griffiths, mezzo-soprano Marie Elliott, tenor Daniel Joy and bass Jack Comerford – were positioned on the right-hand side.
For listeners seated on the left-hand side of the nave, however, clarity proved problematic. From that position it was difficult to hear the soloists with any real degree of definition, particularly the soprano and mezzo-soprano voices.
For example, although Clare Lloyd-Griffiths brought depth of interpretation to “Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden,” some detail – especially in the lower register – was lost in “Jesu, deine Passion will ich jetzt bedenken.”
Similarly, Jack Comerford’s singing in “Der Heiland fällt vor seinem Vater nieder” and “Gerne will ich mich bequemen” suffered from the same loss of textual and musical clarity.
Fortunately, Daniel Joy overcame the acoustic challenges in his performance of the reflective aria “Ich will bei meinem Jesu wachen”. The relatively spare texture – tenor line, single oboe obbligato (Jane Wright) and short choral interjections – comes through with admirable clarity. Consequently, it proved one of the highlights of Part I.
No such acoustical difficulties troubled Gwilym Bowen’s Evangelist or Alex Ashworth’s Jesus. The clarity of their delivery could hardly have been greater.
Particularly moving was Ashworth’s “Ihr seid ausgegangen als zu einem Mörder”. Bach’s characteristic halo of sustained strings often surrounding the words of Christ added an extra layer of expressive warmth.
The closing Part I chorale “O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß” – one of Bach’s most expressive chorale settings – provided a beautifully judged musical conclusion to the first half.
Matters improved noticeably in Part II. The reason, I suspect, lies in Bach’s scoring. Whereas Part I is often monumental and choral – with large crowd scenes and dramatic exchanges – such textures can become dense in a very resonant space.
By contrast, Part II is more introspective, with arias frequently accompanied by smaller instrumental groups and prominent obbligato lines, allowing individual vocal and instrumental details to emerge more clearly.
Mezzo-soprano Marie Elliott sang “Erbarme dich, mein Gott” – one of Bach’s loveliest arias and arguably the emotional heart of the Passion – with touching expressiveness. The aria was beautifully enhanced by the lyrical violin obbligato (Sarah Reece), creating a moment to treasure.
Clare Lloyd-Griffiths was heard to particularly good effect in “Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben”. The absence of a continuo bass line – highly unusual in Bach – together with the delicate scoring for flutes (Della Blood and Ruth O’Brien) and oboes da caccia (Jane Wright and Alex Nightingale), created an atmosphere of striking purity and stillness.
Jack Comerford brought conviction to the dramatic aria “Gebt mir meinen Jesum wieder,” protesting at Christ’s arrest, with strong support from energetic strings and continuo.
Bach’s gentle closing chorus, “Wir setzen uns mit Tränen nieder,” brings the work to one of the most serene endings in all sacred music. What a work — and what an impressive performance.
The choir sang their hearts out and held fast throughout; the orchestral playing, with excellent obbligato contributions, was consistently musical; the sopranos of St Peter’s School sang beautifully; and the soloists, although sometimes hampered by the acoustic, were consistently excellent.
Shaun Turnbull (chamber organ) and Lindsay Illingworth (continuo cello) were the evening’s unsung heroes – but the Oscar surely goes to director David Pipe, whose assured direction balanced both the drama and the inward reflection at the heart of Bach’s St Matthew Passion, even in the vast acoustic of York Minster.
Riding Lights executive director Ollie Brown, left, and artistic director Paul Birch
YORK theatre company Riding Lights has vowed that the show must go on after the theft of its van and set for 2026 Lent tour show Night Falls.
The van contained the entire set, costumes and technical equipment for artistic director Paul Birch’s fresh, vivid and dynamic retelling of the Easter story.
After weeks of preparation and the 31-date UK tour’s launch at The Lowry, Salford, the sudden, overnight disappearance of almost everything needed to stage Night Falls has left the company devastated at the loss yet determined that the tour will continue despite the setback.
Riding Lights Theatre Company actors Matthew Rutherford and Esther Atkins in Paul Birch’s Night Falls. Picture: Tom Jackson
Cast and crew returned to their Friargate Theatre base in York to begin work on rebuilding the production, sourcing replacement technical equipment, assembling an alternative set from the company’s warehouse and pulling together replacement costumes with support from suppliers and partners.
“The production may look different when it returns to the stage, but its story and message remain unchanged — a message of hope emerging from grief, and the belief that even in difficult moments, joy can follow,” says executive director Ollie Brown.
“We are truly devastated by this loss. Months of work disappeared overnight, but we are determined to pick ourselves up and carry on. The show will go on. We are already working hard to rebuild the production so we can get back on the road. We are moving mountains to make it happen.”
Matthew Rutherford and Esther Atkins in a scene from Riding Lights’s production of Paul Birch’s Night Falls. Picture: Tom Jackson
Riding Lights is asking for support from the public and the theatre community to help sustain the remaining tour dates and rebuild what has been lost. Donations can be made at www.ridinglights.org/donate.
Blending music and powerful drama, alongside space for reflection and worship, Birch’s new Passion Play covers the final four days before an execution that will change everything in a story of three enemies who want to put an end to the so-called Messiah, two strangers torn between faith and doubt, hope and grief, as they try to prevent Jesus of Nazareth from getting himself arrested, and one safe house in Bethany.
The hours are running out, but even as night falls, a strange hope is wrapped in a secret that both strangers share. For this is the house of Lazarus, and under his roof, the impossible has already occurred.
In the weeks ahead, Night Falls is booked to play Dorchester, Gloucester, Camberley, Ash, in Kent, Chelmsford, Lowestoft, Billericay, St Albans, Chiswick, Skegness, Stratford-upon-Avon, Croydon, St German’s Priory, in Cornwall, and Minehead on the tour’s closing day, April 6.
Djibril Ramsey’s Barnardo , Ralph Davis’s Hamlet and Colin Ryan’s Horatio in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Hamlet. Picture: Marc Brenner
THE Royal Shakespeare Company will present multi award-winning Rupert Goold’s touring production of Hamlet at York Theatre Royal from April 14 to 18.
“Hamlet is a play about the inevitability of death: the death of fathers, the death of kings, the mortality facing each and everyone of us, but it is also a play about how to live, what makes a good life and a just one too, however brief our allotted time,” says Goold.
The York run will coincide with the 114th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic on the night of April 14-15 in 1912.
“Our production is set aboard a ship but one that is soon to founder, going down with all hands,” says Goold. “Its inspiration comes from the most famous sinking in history, and just as that icy tragedy came to pass in a little over two and a half hours, our play takes place in real time and for about as long, as much catastrophic thriller as poetic meditation. It’s a production that asks what it means to be human and decisive when time is running out.”
Georgia-Mae Myers’ Ophelia. Picture: Marc Brenner, Royal Shakespeare Company
Shakespeare’s epic family drama of deceit and murder will feature classical actor Ralph Davis in the title role of Hamlet. He was nominated for the 2023 Ian Charleson Award for his performance as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, appeared as Edmund in King Lear, both at Shakespeare’s Globe, and played Iago in Othello at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, for which he came second in the 2025 Ian Charleson Awards.
As well as theatre credits at the Almeida, Chichester Festival Theatre, Ustinov Studio and elsewhere, Davis’s RSC credits include Tamburlaine, Timon Of Athens, Richard III and King John.
Davis co-wrote, created and starred in Film Club for the BBC in 2025. His other screen credits include House Of The Dragon for HBO, Big Boys for Channel 4 and SAS: Rogue Heroes, Life After Life and Steve McQueen’s Small Axe for the BBC.
Ship shape: Rupert Goold’s cast in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Hamlet. Picture: Marc Brenner
Alongside Davis’s Hamlet in the RSC cast will be Rob Alexander-Adams (Voltemand); Richard Cant (Polonius); Kat Collings (Ensemble); Raymond Coulthard (Claudius); Maximus Evans (Marcellus); Ian Hughes (Ghost/Player King); CJ Johnson (Player Queen); Julia Kass (Guildenstern); Poppy Miller (Gertrude); Georgia-Mae Myers (Ophelia); Mark Oosterveen (Cornelius/Priest); Djibril Ramsey (Barnardo); Colin Ryan (Horatio); Jonathan Savage (Ensemble); Jamie Sayers (Rosencrantz); Leo Shak (Francisco) and Benjamin Westerby (Laertes).
Goold directed Dear England for the National Theatre and Romeo And Juliet and The Merchant Of Venice (RSC). This year he will take up the role of artistic director of The Old Vic after 13 years at the Almeida Theatre.
He has received Olivier, Critics’ Circle and Evening Standard awards for best director twice and won a Peabody Award in 2011 for Macbeth. In 2017 he received a CBE in the New Year’s Honours for services to drama.
Joining Goold on the creative team are revival director Sophie Drake; set designer Es Devlin; costume designer Evie Gurney; lighting designer Jack Knowles; composer and sound designer Adam Cork; movement director Hannes Langolf; video designer Akhila Krishnan; fight director Kev McCurdy; dramaturg Rebecca Latham and casting director Matthew Dewsbury.
Poppy Miller’s Gertrude and Raymond Coulthard’s Claudius in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Hamlet. Marc Brenner
Sophie says: “I’m so looking forward to taking this exciting show on the road. We’ve assembled a wonderful cast, led by Ralph Davis, who promises to make a great Hamlet. It’s probably Shakespeare’s most famous play, but I’m sure no-one will have seen a Hamlet like this before. I can’t wait for audiences to see it.”
The Hamlet tour is supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, whose funding makes it possible for the RSC to expand its tour to work in partnership with more places across England.
Royal Shakespeare Company in Hamlet, York Theatre Royal, April 14 to 18, 7pm plus 1.30pm, April 16 and 2pm, April 18. Post-show discussion, April 17. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.
Hamlet is touring to Truro, Bradford, Norwich, Nottingham, Blackpool, Newcastle, York and Canterbury, from February to April 2026.
Here Ralph Davis discusses his role as Hamlet and why Shakespeare is “the best”.
What can audiences expect from this particular production of Hamlet, Ralph?
“They can expect something epic and cinematic. We’re doing it on a scale that will be very exciting to watch but also relatable. The play deals with a deeply human experience – Hamlet has to deal with the fallout of his father being murdered, and everything that spirals from that. So yes, I hope audiences will be both riveted and moved.”
Where is Rupert Goold’s production set?
“It’s set on a sinking ship, which is reminiscent of a particular disaster that happened in 1912. It will be a real spectacle. We’ve got these amazing projections of the sea and storms, and a huge, raked stage.
“Hamlet is a play that feels big, and putting it right in the middle of the sea on a ship takes the audience to a very exciting place.
“That said, we’re not literally setting it on the Titanic: I don’t see all these characters as sinking and drowning. The play deals with the theme of justice, and the point of it when we’re all dying anyway.
“So the setting Rupert has chosen feels appropriately dangerous, with death and disaster all around whilst Hamlet is trying to work out what he should do when he’s told that his uncle has killed his father.”
Ralph Davis’s Hamlet clashing with Raymond Coulthard’s Claudius in the RSC’s Hamlet. Picture: Mark Brenner
How did you feel when you were picked to play Hamlet, probably the most famous stage role of all?
“I found out when I was sitting alone in my flat in Camberwell. It had been a few days since the audition, and I thought I’d given a fairly good account of myself, and I had a good feeling about things.
“Anyway I found I’d got the role, and, to use Hamlet’s words, I was ‘struck so to the soul’. I couldn’t believe it. I was so giddy and excited.
“Partly because I’ve already done quite a lot of Shakespeare, people have always asked me if Hamlet was a role I wanted to play. And I’d always said ‘no, it wasn’t something I was interested in’. But I know I was just saying that in case it never happened!
“I found out that I’d got the part quite a long time before rehearsals began, so I had a while to be excited about it. Of course I then read the play again, and thought, ‘God. What am I going to do with this?’”
How are you approaching it?
“I’m trying to approach it like any other role. It is different, of course, because it’s so iconic, and there are so many different preconceived ideas about what the part is and what the play is.
Skull’s out: Ralph Davis’s Hamlet contemplates once knowing Yorick well in Hamlet. Picture: Marc Brenner
“I’m stripping all of that away, getting rid of all of that noise, and reading it like it is a new play. And trusting my instinct of what I think the role is.
“So I’ve been very resistant to knowing how anyone else has done it in the past. I’m just working from the words on the page – what’s happening in this scene? What’s this relationship about? Why is he saying these words at this point? I’m treating it like it’s a new play.”
What was your route into acting?
“My mum dropped me off at Playbox, a theatre company for young people, in Warwick when I was literally 18 months old. I don’t think you’re capable of acting at 18 months, but I was there for some sort of storytelling session.
“That place became a second home to me. It was a tremendously professional and exciting environment for a young person to be in, and I just did play after play after play there.
“And then I was at the RSC as a child actor. At the age of ten, I was in King John alongside actors like Richard McCabe and Tamsin Greig. Then, still as a boy, I was in Richard III, directed by Michael Boyd and with Jonathan Slinger in the lead.
“I’m treating it like it’s a new play,” says Ralph Davis of playing Hamlet. Picture: Marc Brenner
“I also did lots of plays at Warwick School. I actually played Hamlet at school. That was set on a ship as well, although it was set pre-World War Two, so a bit later than the show we are touring. I think I was probably terrible because I was trying to do my A-levels at the same time!
“I went straight to RADA from school, and since then I’ve done a lot of Shakespeare, including a season at the RSC, and I’ve played Edmund in King Lear, Benedick in Much Ado and Iago in Othello at the Globe.”
Does Shakespeare particularly interest you?
“Yes. I’m just very old fashioned, or I’m just influenced by the people I would watch growing up. Those actors that I saw on stage would do a lot of Shakespeare until they were in their 40s, and then they’d make the leap to TV. And that’s what I wanted to do. And that’s sort of what I’ve done.
“I think my life was changed and shaped by the Shakespeare I saw at the RSC growing up, particularly Michael Boyd’s productions of the History plays. I think watching Jonathan Slinger in those plays probably did change my life.
“I thought, ‘that is something worth doing’. I find Shakespeare easier to do than modern texts sometimes because Shakespeare’s writing is the best there is.”
Ralph Davis’s Hamlet and Poppy Miller’s Gertrude in the RSC’s Hamlet. Picture: Marc Brenner
What were the highlights from the roles you have played?
“I enjoyed playing Benedick in Much Ado. I was 26, which is a young age to be playing that part, but I was leading a company at the Globe. It was shortly after Covid, during which I thought my dream of playing lead roles was perhaps over.
“Both Benedick and Iago were a real test of my abilities. And now, in rehearsals for Hamlet, I feel – and I know this might sound pretentious – that this part is going to change me. It’s such a challenge. Shakespeare really stretched the actor who played the role originally, because I think the play meant so much personally to Shakespeare.
“I also had a great time when I was in A Streetcar Named Desire at the Almeida, alongside the likes of Paul Mescal and Patsy Ferran. I had quite a small role, but it was such a fun company.
“What’s so nice about Hamlet is that I haven’t been on stage for about a year, and it’s lovely to be back in a company putting on a play.”
As well as acting, you write…
“Yes, I spent all of last year writing. I feel very fulfilled by making something and putting it in front of an audience. At RADA it was understandably all about acting, but I knew I also wanted to create things.
“I think Shakespeare’s stories are the best stories,” says Ralph Davis. Picture: Marc Brenner
“I co-wrote the BBC show Film Club. There’s a lot of work in getting something on TV, pitching it is a really tough process. But then you end up making it with all these talented people pulling in the same direction. I really like that feeling.
“In the future I’d like to direct as well. All of that said, I certainly feel fulfilled now working on Hamlet.”
How would you persuade audiences to see this production if they think Shakespeare is not for them?
“What I’m seeing in the rehearsal room is people speaking Shakespeare’s words, which really are words that we use nowadays, but just put in a more poetic and perfect order. People speaking the language like you and I are speaking now. And when actors harness those words and make them real, then I think there’s nothing more thrilling.
“And there’s no reason for anyone to be scared about the play, or feeling that they won’t be able to follow the story.
“I think people sometimes feel alienated because they hear words like ‘thee’ and ‘thou’ and certain words that are a little strange to the ear, but they make perfect sense when an actor delivers them right. And I think Shakespeare’s stories are the best stories. They are stirring and have fantastic characters.
“I’m really pleased that we’re taking this show on tour and reaching lots of different parts of the country, and perhaps people who’ve never seen Shakespeare before. I hope they find the experience as exciting as I did when I saw my first Shakespeare. Just don’t be scared of it – Shakespeare’s the best.”
