Preview: Josie Long On Tour

Josie Long

Cara Josephine

On Tour including:

Tuesday 24^th February        HULL, Fruit Space

Monday 16^th March            NEWCASTLE, The Stand

Thursday 19^th March           STOCKTON, Arc

Saturday 20^th March           KENDAL, Brewery Arts Centre

RADIO ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE – 2014

BAFTA SCOTLAND NEW TALENT AWARD NOMINEE – 2013

EDINBURGH COMEDY AWARD NOMINEE - 2012

EDINBURGH COMEDY AWARD NOMINEE - 2011

EDINBURGH COMEDY AWARD NOMINEE – 2010

BARRY AWARD – NOMINATION 2008

CHORTLE BEST BREAKTHROUGH ACT 2007

PERRIER BEST NEWCOMER AWARD – 2006

CHORTLE BEST NEWCOMER AWARD – 2005

BBC NEW COMEDY AWARD – 2005

Three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee and cult optimist is back on the road  with her most personal show to date about love, family and being as outdoorsy as a bear.

Josie Long

Photo: Giles Smith

In her seventh nationwide tour and with a new niece in the picture, Josie reflects on her own childhood and the resilience of an older sister. She had never really truly known heartbreak until now, and she is using this  experience to change her ways; to be more patient, to work out what she really wants and to become a better person. This is truly her most heartfelt, honest and revealing material, but don’t fret - Nigel Farage and Nick Clegg still get a mention…

In her last Fringe appearance in 2012, Josie received her third Edinburgh Comedy Award nomination, and at this year’s festival she collected more stars than a small solar system and was officially cited the best reviewed comedy show. Throwing aside the whimsical reputation that she had become known for, a new, more politically aware and socially conscious comedian had emerged and captivated the comedy industry in a totally different way.

Josie is renowned for writing about what she cares about and, although there has more recently been a political underlying to her material, she always has the ability to make her shows friendly and silly. As many reviewers point out, you cannot help but come away from her shows hoping to become her best friend.

In addition to her numerous DVD releases, TV appearances, sell-out tours, charity benefits and a co-host slot on BBC Radio 6 Music,  Josie started an ongoing project in 2011 called the Alternative Reality Tour; an anti-cuts, pro-youth, no-profit performance in a bid to fight for social justice and support public art. They even bring blankets in case it’s cold. She runs a monthly club night in London, The Lost Treasures of the Black Heart, which celebrates the world’s unsung heroes and has since been turned into a podcast. She was recently nominated for a Radio Academy Award for her adventurous short documentaries Short Cuts on Radio 4, earned a BAFTA Scotland New Talent Award nomination for her two short feature films, Let’s Go Swimming and Romance and Adventure, and is co-founder of the Arts Emergency Service, a charity which aims to support students from underprivileged backgrounds who wish to study arts degrees. Her showcase for adventurous documentaries, Short Cuts, can currently be heard on Radio 4 on Tuesdays at 3pm.

On The Web:

Website:www.josielong.com / www.showandtelluk.com  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JosieLong

Press On ‘’CARA JOSEPHINE’: Edinburgh 2014

★★★★★ “By turns raucously silly and profoundly moving, Long is a top class performer at the top of her game” EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS

★★★★★ “An absolute gem of a show” ONE4REVIEW.COM

★★★★★ “A sincere, wonderful, hilarious, life-affirming triumph” THREEWEEKS

★★★★★ “She’s the consummate comedian. A wonderful talent” BROADWAYBABY

★★★★★ “Long has crafted a show nothing short of joyous” GIGGLEBEATS

★★★★★ “Josie Long is a truly fantastic comedian, and Cara Josephine is a masterpiece” FRESH AIR

★★★★★ “A one hour master class in storytelling” THE MUMBLE

★★★★ “Authentic, revealing and generous of spirit… this is a lovely show” THE GUARDIAN

★★★★ “Delightful and more widely digestible… brilliantly evocative… original and unflagging” THE TIMES

TOUR DATES

JANUARY                                              VENUE                                                    BOX OFFICE

Mon 19^th – Sat 31^st (not 25^th)    LONDON, Soho Theatre                                 020 7478 0100

FEBRUARY

Weds 4^th                              EXETER, Phoenix Theatre                                 01392 66708

Thurs 5^th                               WINCHESTER, Railway Inn                               01962 867795

Sat 7^th                                  CANTERBURY, Marlowe                                  01227 787787

Tues 10^h                               CARDIFF, Clwb Ifor Bach                                029 2023 2199

Thurs 12^th                             COVENTRY, Tin Angel                                      02476 230 699

Fri 13^th                                  DUBLIN, Workmans Club                                 +353 1 670 6692

Sun 15^th                               BIRMINGHAM, Electric Cinema                      0121 643 7879

Tues 17^th                              LEICESTER, The Y Theatre                                 0116 2557066

Weds 18^th                            WOLVERHAMPTON, The Civic                        0870 320 7000

Thurs 19^th                             BRIGHTON, Dome                                            01273 709709    

Fri 20^th                                  NORWICH, Playhouse                                     01603 598 598

Sun 22^nd                              BRISTOL, Tobacco Factory                              0117 902 0060

Mon 23^rd                             CAMBRIDGE, Junction                                     01223 511 511

Tues 24^th                             HULL, Fruit Space                                              01482 221113

Weds 25^th                           LEEDS, Wardrobe                                              0113 383 8800

Thurs 26^th                            SHEFFIELD, Crucible                                          0114 249 6000

Fri 27^th                                 YORK, Duchess                                                  01904 641413

Sat 28^th                               DERBY, Deda                                                     01332 370911

MARCH

Mon 2^nd                              LIVERPOOL, Unity Theatre                               0844 873 2888

Tues 3^rd                               FOLKESTONE, Quarterhouse                            01303 858500

Weds 4^th                             NOTTINGHAM, Arts Theatre                             0115 947 5925

Thurs 5^th                              NORTHAMPTON, NN Café                               01604 638944

Fri 6^th                                   READING, South Street                                     0118 960 6060

Sat 7^th                                 MANCHESTER, Gorilla                                       0161 407 0301

Sun 8^th                                COVENTRY, Warwick Arts Centre                    024 7652 4524

Weds 11^th                           OXFORD, The North Wall                                  01865 319450

Fri 13^th                                 MULL, Comar                                                     01688  302211   

Sat 14^th                               SKYE, Aros Centre                                              01478 613649

Mon 16^th                             NEWCASTLE, The Stand                                     0844 693 3336

Tues 17^th                             EDINBURGH, The Stand                                     0131 558 7272

Weds 18^th                           GLASGOW, The Stand                                      0844 335 8879

Thurs 19^th                            STOCKTON, Arc                                                 01642 525199

Sat 20^th                               KENDAL, Brewery Arts                                       01539 725 133

Fri 27^th                                 BELFAST, MAC                                                    028 9023 5053

Sat 28^th                               LONDON, Battersea Arts Centre                     020 7223 2223

Preview: Donna Disco - On Tour

Donna Disco

Chicken Pox Fox Productions

On Tour

‘A tour de force of writing, actingand directing’ *****Three Weeks

Written by                    Lee Mattinson  

Directed by                 Laura Lindow

Performed by              Paula Penman

For anyone who ever thought thatbeing fourteen was easy...

Donna is fourteen, clumsy and fat. She’s bland, bespectacled and, if she’d ever heard of The Beautiful South, she’d adore them.

She also has a new school project, to source a stranger’s story and present her findings at the annual Christmas Pageant. And so Donna takes it upon herself to befriend the colourful cross-dressing butcher from downstairs.

But when her mother goes AWOL and an innocent crush on a local pretty boy goes hideously wrong, Donna’s world begins to disband and the disco that plays in her heart is in danger of grinding to a glittering, gobsmacking halt.

Originally commissioned by Live Theatre and supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England & supported by The Empty Space and Dance City through This Way up.

Chicken Pox Fox is a show and tell theatre company founded in 2010 by writer Lee Mattinson and performer Paula Penman.  Their first show Donna Disco was produced to critical acclaim in 2011 and our most recent one woman show premiered at the Bush Theatre’s RADAR Festival in 2013. They are currently working on a mockumentary film project, a country and western musical and a multi-narrative project for radio.

Running time      60mins

                             No Interval

Links

Web                     www.chickenpoxfox.com

Twitter                 https://twitter.com/chickenpoxfox  

Facebook           www.facebook.com/chickenpoxfox

February
26th-28th @ 7.30pm  Live Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne – 0191 232 1232 / bookonline
March
4th @ 7.30pm The Place Theatre, Bedford – 01234 354 321 / bookonline
5th @ 8pm Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury – 01743 281 281 / book online
10th@ 7.30pm Stage, Leeds – 0113 343 8730 / bookonline
13th @ 7.30pm Assembly Rooms, Tamworth – 01827 709 618 / book online
15th @ 7.30pm New Diorama Theatre, London -0207 383 9034 / bookonline
17th @ 7.30pm Capstone Theatre, Liverpool – 0844 8000 410 / book online
19th @ 7.45pm Cast, Doncaster – 01302 303 959 / book online
20th @ 8pm Hull Truck Theatre, Hull – 01482 323 638 / book online
24th-25th @ 8pm Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham – 01434 652 477 / bookonline
28th @ 7.30pm The Western, Leicester – bookonline

Review: Barnum at Hull New Theatre

The Greatest Show on Earth

Photo: Johan Persson

Barnum

Hull New Theatre

Until 25^th October then on tour

Photo: Johan Persson

Phineas Taylor Barnum was America’s second millionaire, bankrupted twice yet still died America’s richest man. This show is a lavish musical which is in the spirit of Barnum himself. It is about giving the audience a good time from the very beginning.

Photo:

Johan Persson

Before the curtain goes up the ensemble is mingling in the crowd showing off their circus tricks and trying to get the audience to take part. The Razzmatazz continues as the curtain goes up as the 11 piece orchestra and the acrobats join the circus performers. P T Barnum himself would have been impressed by the colourful display that filled the stage.

Photo:

Johan Persson

The story broadly follows a number of aspects of Barnum’s life. Brian Conley is called upon to interact at times with the crowd and improvises as well as many stand-up comics. He also walks the literal tight-rope in a brilliant performance as the man credited with been a legend of self-promotion and advertising. The wonderful Linzi Hateley plays Chairy Barnum and there is lots of onstage chemistry between these two pivotal characters. 

The singing is always top notch. Linzi Hateley, Kimberly Blake, as the Swedish Nightingale Jenny Lind, and Landi Oshinowo, in both her roles as Joice Heth and the Blues Singer, are are all note perfect with a range of delightful numbers. 

Photo:

Johan Persson

 Mikey Jay-Heath as Tom Thumb and Brian Conley hold the singing honours for the lads.

Photo:

Johan Persson

The set is visually stunning as it doubles as the arena for many of Barnum’s stunts. Even the set changes were turned into circus style routines which had a round of applause from the appreciative audience. The only quibble would be that it was a shame that the talented orchestra was hidden away for much of the show.

Photo:

Johan Persson

It has long been a bug bear of the Jowheretogo team that there is a lack of shows, outside of panto season, which are suitable for the whole family. Barnum is one such show that will keep the whole family entertained.  On a number of occasions the stage is filled with circus frivolity .

Barnum the musical is a stunning exploration of a larger than life character.

Photo: Johan Persson

This review was written by Stephen Oliver for Jowheretogo PR (www.jowheretogo.com). Follow Jo on twitter @jowheretogo, Stephen @panic_c_button or like Jowheretogo on Facebook www.facebook.com/Jowheretogo

Tour dates include:

Photo:

Johan Persson

Edinburgh Playhouse 28 Oct - 1 Nov 2014 - 0844 871 301

Tue - Sat 7.30pm
Wed, Thu & Sat 2.30pm

Newcastle Theatre Royal 17 - 28 Feb 2015 - 08448 11 21 21

Tue - Sat eves 7.30pm
Wed 2pm (18 Feb only)
Thu 2pm & Sat 2.30pm

Review: Wet House at Newcastle Live Theatre

“The only difference is that

we have the keys…”

Wet House

Newcastle Live Theatre

Until 11 October

Paddy Campbell’s first play was deservedly awarded three 2013 Journal Culture Awards and was given the status of one of the Guardian’s top ten plays of the year. We loved it at Jowheretogo but how will the latest run match up to the original?

Andy is a fresh graduate who decides to put his 2:2 in Art History to good use in the care industry. He ends up working in a Wet House – a place for the homeless that allows the residents to drink on the premises. Providing the care for societies’ forgotten people proves to be a challenge but Andy also has to deal with the staff who work there. The other key workers, Helen and Mike, have their history and their problems as they deal with drunks like Dinger, the heavily pregnant Kerry and new arrival Spencer.

Director Max Roberts has recognised the need to entertain and keep the light hearted moments in the mix. Add in a healthy amount of disturbing situations and it leaves the audience feeling like a ride on the old cork-screw.  This is a fabulous play to experience in the intimate surroundings of the Live Theatre.

The cast is terrific, Riley Jones plays the new member of staff well without being too wet and Eva Quinn is vibrant as the vulnerable Kerry. The one new comer to the cast is Simon Roberts who added a new dimension to the role of Spencer. Jackie Lye, as Helen and Chris Connel, as Mike, quickly draw the audience into their character’s complex issues. 

Once again it is Joe Caffrey who is phenomenal as the hopeless drunk Dinger in memorable moments such as trying to avoid a bath or singing the hits of Petula Clarke.  Dinger is one character that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure.

Wet House is a powerful drama with an awesome cast.

This review was written by Stephen Oliver for Jowheretogo PR (www.jowheretogo.com). Follow Jo on twitter @jowheretogo, Stephen @panic_c_button or like Jowheretogo on Facebook www.facebook.com/Jowheretogo

There will also be a discussion on Sunday 5^th October on Homelessness & Addiction:  Discussion with writer Paddy Campbell and a chance meet the team behind the show on Tuesday 7^th October.

The production will tour to Hull Truck (14-18 October) and Soho Theatre, London (22 October – 16 November)

Ticket Details:

Wednesday 17 September to Saturday 11 October

LOCATION: Main Theatre

SUITABILITY: 14+, contains strong language, scenes of violence and adult themes

TICKETS: £22-£10, over 60s concs £22-£10, other concs £15-£5

DURATION: Approx. 2 hours and 30 minutes including an interval

www.live.org.uk

Hull Truck:www.hulltruck.co.uk 

Soho Theatre: www.sohotheatre.com/whats-on/wet-house