Stagedirections58 (may, june & july 2014)

www.mousetrap.org.uk

StageDirections Issue58 May/June/July 2014

Dear Teachers, We would like to let you know that after much deliberation, regretfully we have decided to discontinue the Teachers Preview Club as of April 30th 2015.

Before that date, we will be producing 4 more issues of StageDirections: 1.

2.

3.

4.

SD59: SD60: SD61: SD62:

May – July 2014 August - October 2014 November 2014 – January 2015 February – April 2015

* Membership renewal costs will be adjusted accordingly.

Following the closure of the Teachers Preview Club, there will still be information regarding theatre visits and offers on the website along with details of other clubs that offer reduced priced theatre tickets. We will also keep the mailing list and if you give us permission, we will continue to email you offers that may be of interest.

If you have any questions about your membership or the closure of the Teachers’ Preview Club, please contact Tracy or Katherine on 020 7240 1248.

In the meantime we hope that you enjoy StageDirections Issue58 which includes the brilliant new plays Let The Right One In at the Apollo, Ghost Stories at the Arts and the National Theatre’s Elephantom as well as West End stalwarts The Phantom of The Opera and War Horse as well as a selection of dance shows and agreat offering from Off-West End and fringe houses such as Royal Court and The Arcola.

Happy theatregoing!

Katherine & The Teachers Preview Club Team

HOW TO BOOK • You are entitled to book two tickets per membership to preview productions.

Front Cover: Carousel @ The Arcola Artwork by QNQ Creative

• All offers are subject to availability.

• When booking your tickets, and often when collecting them at the box office, you will be asked for your TPC membership card. Tickets cannot be bought on behalf of others or transferred to them.

• Please make sure we have your current email address so we can send any changes or new offers.

• To log on to the website, you will need your username (firstname.surname) and a password.

• To request offers in hard copy, please email tpc@mousetrap.org.uk with a PAPER POST TPC in the title, with your full name, membership number and postal address.

Tickets Days Dates Ages To Book

Best available tickets for £20 Sunday – Thursday @ 8pm 1st May - 20th July 15+ 020 7836 8463 and quote TEACHER www.artstheatrewestend.co.uk

Theatre to Keep Your Students Gripped to Their Seats...

Now Seen by over 350,000 people worldwide, Ghost Stories is truly an extraordinary theatrical experience. Written and directed by The League of Gentlemen’s master of the macabre, Jeremy Dyson, and Andy Nyman, co-creator and director of Derren Brown’s television and stage shows, Ghost Stories mixes the very best of theatre with the buzz of a thrillride, delivering something truly unique. With some new moments of shock, this show will make your students laugh and scream in equal measure and will make them think very differently about the power of theatre and storytelling. www.ghoststoriestheshow.co.uk

Havana Rakatan Tickets Dates Ages To Book

@ Peacock Theatre

Top price tickets for £15 (Usually £42)* Tuesday 6th & Wednesday 7th May @ 7.30pm 5+ 0844 412 4322 Quote Teachers Preview Club offer

Experience the passion and soul of Cuba in the heart of the West End this May with Havana Rakatan as salsa, rumba, mambo and more come alive in a captivating journey through the dance and music of a truly unique country. With a huge cast of Cuba’s most talented dancers fuelled by a sensational eight-piece band, Havana Rakatan is cultural extravaganza not to be missed. *Offer valid for selected dates only. Subject to allocation availability. Not available retrospectively or in conjunction with any other offer. £2.50 transaction fee applies for telephone bookings.

I Can’t Sing Tickets Days Dates Ages To Book

@ London Palladium

£15 Monday - Wednesday @ 7.30pm Thursday @ 2.00pm Thursday 1st May - Thursday 8th May 8+ 01159 051 217 and quote TPC

Irreverent, mischievous, packed full of side-splittingly funny songs and eye-popping sets, I Can’t Sing! is the irrepressible new musical comedy that goes behind the microphones and under the judges’ desks to reveal big bust-ups, huge voices and the cutest young love story the West End has ever seen. I Can’t Sing! stars Olivier-Award winning stage and screen actor Nigel Harman as Simon, with Cynthia Erivo and Alan Morrisey as love-struck hopefuls Chenice and Max. I Can’t Sing! is written by comedy superstar Harry Hill and award-winning composer Steve Brown. Directed by Sean Foleyl with choreography

by Kate Prince and set design by Es Devlin.

West End

Ghost Stories @ The Arts Theatre

Photo credit: Manuel Harlin

West End

Let The Right One In Tickets Days Dates Ages To Book

@ Apollo Theatre

£20 (Usually £49.50 - £39.50) Monday – Thursday evenings @ 7.45pm 1st May - 30th July 13+ 020 7565 5000 and quote TPCOFFER www.royalcourttheatre.com: code TPCOFFER

Oskar is a bullied lonely teenage boy living with his mother on a housing estate at the edge of town, when a spate of sinister killings rock the neighbourhood. Eli is the young girl who has just moved in next door. She doesn’t go to school and never leaves the flat by day. Sensing in each other a kindred spirit, the two become devoted friends. What Oskar doesn’t know is that Eli has been a teenager for a very long time… A must-see production, Let the Right One In is an enchanting, brutal vampire myth and coming-of-age love story.

The Phantom of the Opera @ Her Majesty’s Theatre Tickets Days Dates Ages To Book

£20 (Usually £41) Monday - Thursday @ 7.30pm Thursdays @ 2.30pm Thursday 1st May - 23rd July 7+ 01159 051 217 Quote Teachers Preview Club Offer

Seen by over 100 million people worldwide, Cameron Mackintosh’s Brilliant Original: The Phantom of the Opera is the highest grossing musical of all time. Now in its 28th record-breaking year, this multi-award winning musical continues to captivate audiences at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London’s West End. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s mesmerising score along with jaw-dropping scenery and breathtaking special effects, magically combine to bring this tragic love story to life each night.

Study Guide available to download on www.thephantomoftheopera.com

Rock The Ballet Tickets Dates Ages To Book

@ Peacock Theatre

Top price tickets for £15 (Usually £38)* Tuesday 10th & Wednesday 11th June @ 7.30pm 5+ 0844 412 4322 Quote Teachers Preview Club offer

Hailing from New York, Rasta Thomas’ Rock The Ballet, starring the Bad Boys of Dance, is a fusion of classic ballet technique blended with the excitement of musical theatre, hip hop, acrobatics and more. The show sees charismatic, high voltage, virtuoso dancers perform to a soundtrack of some of rock and pop music’s biggest hits, including Queen, Usher, Kanye West and Coldplay. *Offer valid for selected dates only. Subject to allocation availability. Not available retrospectively or in conjunction with any other offer. £2.50 transaction fee applies for telephone bookings.

Tickets Days Dates Ages To Book

@ Ambassadors Theatre £20 (£2.50 booking fee applies.)

Mondays & Thursdays @ 8.00pm Sundays @ 3.00pm 1st May - 27th July Exclusions 5th May, 26th May – 1st June 8+ 0844 8112 334 quote Teacher Preview Club.

Valid Membership ID will be required when collecting tickets.

The multi-award winning show has a unviersal language of rhythm, theatre, comedy and dance.

Eight performers use everything from Zippo lighters, plastic bags, bin lids and even the kitchen sink to hammer out an explosively feel good rhythm.

The 39 Steps Tickets Days Dates Ages To Book

@ Criterion Theatre

£15 (£2.50 booking fee applies) Monday – Thursday @ 8pm Wednesday @ 3pm 11th July – 31st July KS3+ 0844 871 7644 and quote TPC39

Take a daring leap into the world of espionage, high drama and rip-roaring comedy with The 39 Steps. The wonderfully inventive Olivier Award winning show is a brilliant stage recreation of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic spy thriller and features just four fearless actors playing 139 roles in 100 minutes of fast-paced fun and thrilling action. Follow the incredible adventures of our handsome hero Richard Hannay, complete with stiff-upper-lip, British gung-ho and pencil moustache as he encounters dastardly murders, double-crossing secret agents, and, of course, devastatingly beautiful women.

Post show Q&As, Education pack and Theatre Workout Workshop

The Elephantom Tickets Days

Dates Ages To Book

@ New London Theatre

Best Available tickets at £10 Monday – Thursday performances Monday @ 2.30pm, Tuesday @ 11.30am & 2.30pm, Wednesday @ 11.30am & 2.30pm, Thursday @ 10am From 30th June – 24th July 2014 3+ 01159 051 217 and quote Teachers Preview Club

We have an Elephantom. He turned up on a Tuesday, just after tea-time....... Come and join the fun with this intriguing story that fuels the imagination and touches the heart. The story of one little girl and her larger-than-life friend is set to get very messy indeed! Fresh from an acclaimed sold-out season at the National Theatre, Ross Collins’ much-loved The Elephantom, will be charging into the New London Theatre for a strictly limited summer season. Magical entertainment for young and old, The Elephantom is a wonderfully inventive mix of puppetry, movement, dance, music – and theatrical ingenuity, and is brought to you by the original War Horse puppeteer team.

West End

STOMP

West End

The Tiger Who Came To Tea @ Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue Tickets Days Dates Ages To Book

£9.50 for best available (Usually £17) Tuesday - Sunday 2nd July – 31st July 3+ 08444124661 or at www.nimaxtheatres.com Use code Teachers Preview Club

Hold on to your biscuit tin, as the Tiger returns to the West End for a smashing summer season! Adapted and directed from Judith Kerr’s modern classic by David Wood OBE, The Tiger Who Came to Tea is specifically designed for developing numeracy and listening skills with fun in mind, making it the ideal introduction to theatre for pre and primary school children aged 3+ and their families.

New English Ballet Theatre

Tryst: Devotion and Betrayal @ Peacock Theatre Tickets Dates Ages To Book

£10 (Usually £20) Thursday 3rd July @ 7.30pm Friday 4th July @ 7.30pm Saturday 5th July @ 2.30pm & 7.30pm Contains themes of an adult nature 0844 412 4322 and quote Teachers’ Magazine Offer www.sadlerswells.co.uk and use code pcdteacher

Following its highly successful West End debut season and gala at the Royal Opera House, New English Ballet Theatre returns with an innovative collaboration between visual art, music and dance. The perfect introduction to ballet, this varied and compelling programme showcases the stars of the future in 5 world premieres from world-class choreographers, presenting a new generation of creative talent.

“NEBT makes us sit up with interest and surprise” - The Guardian *Subject to allocation availability.

Not available retrospectively or in conjunction with any other offer. £2.50 transaction fee applies to telephone bookings, £1.75 line.

War Horse Tickets Days Dates Ages To Book

@ New London Theatre

£15 Monday - Wednesday Monday & Wednesday @ 7.30pm Tuesday @ 7.00pm 5th May -11th June (Excluding w/c 26th May) 11+ 01159 051 217 and quote Teachers Preview Club

Based on the beloved novel by Michael Morpurgo, this powerfully moving and imaginative drama, filled with stirring music and songs, is a show of phenomenal inventiveness. At its heart are astonishing life-sized puppets by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, who bring breathing, galloping, charging horses to life on stage.

This critically-acclaimed production takes audiences on an extraordinary journey from the fields of rural Devon to the trenches of First World War France. War Horse is an unforgettable theatrical experience that is sure to capture the hearts and minds of your students like never before.

Resource pack available to download from: http://warhorseonstage.com/education

Special Event Come and join us at our next Teachers Preview Club Special Event, if you dare...

Theatre to Keep Your Students Gripped to Their Seats...

Ghost Stories broke all box-office records at the Liverpool Playhouse and the Lyric Hammersmith before moving into the West End. Now Seen by over 350,000 people worldwide, Ghost Stories is truly an extraordinary theatrical experience.

Written and directed by The League of Gentlemen’s master of the macabre, Jeremy Dyson, and Andy Nyman, co-creator and director of Derren Brown’s television and stage shows, Ghost Stories mixes the very best of theatre with the buzz of a thrill-ride, delivering something truly unique. With some new moments of shock, this show will make your students laugh and scream in equal measure and will make them think very differently about the power of theatre and storytelling. www.ghoststoriestheshow.co.uk

Event Details Show Date Time Theatre Tickets Ages To Book

Ghost Stories Tuesday 13th May 2014 8.00pm Arts Theatre, 6-7 Great Newport St, London WC2H 7JB Tickets for £20 This includes a programme, drink, educational resources and post show Q&A 15+ Email katherine@mousetrap.org.uk

Shakespeare for Younger Audiences Hiraeth Artistic Productions is a London based company dedicated to creating exciting and innovative theatre.

Artistic director, Zoé Ford, and Education Officer, Cat Nicole, discuss Shakespeare and how their passion for education impacts their work.

What challenges do you face when approaching the texts?

Zoe - It’s always daunting to pick up prestigious texts; hundreds of years of preestablished notions inhabit the story. I never approach the text with an aim to change or ‘better’ them, I simply want to allow a sense of imagination and playfulness to prevail.

The challenge is to walk a thin line between joyful creativity and staying true to the core of the story. Shakespeare is a genius, his ideas and understanding of humanity are transcendental and no matter how much freedom I take with the interpretation of the text, I always want to be faithful to his message and where I can, enhance it.

Cat - The plays can be difficult to access; the language is unfamiliar and many of the themes may, at first approach, seem difficult to grasp. These things, to a modern young audience, can often indicate impending disaster. It’s our respobsibility to work with the text and enact Shakespeare’s stories and characters in a way that will draw a modern audience in.

What is it about Shakespeare’s plays that you believe makes them relevant to young audiences today?

Cat - What I find fascinating about Shakespeare’s plays is that the characters we meet and the issues that they face could be completely contemporary. We meet teenagers struggling with forbidden love, young men in the depths of grief, leaders who find themselves under threat, parents seeking vengeance for their children; the century may change but the nature of humanity remains the same. We will always be able to relate to the challenges faced by this cast.

Zoe - I truly believe that Shakespeare is an anarchist. He loved to deconstruct race, gender, sexuality, politics, royalty. His works are free spirited and wild; they embrace the human spirit which, by its very nature, is timeless.

What do you feel is the key to keeping young audiences engaged and excited by Shakespeare?

Zoe - The ‘GTA Generation’ is used to having things presented in a fast paced, sensory way, evoking a visceral reaction to what they are experiencing. At Hiraeth we approach the plays in the same way, using the raw emotions at the centre of the character’s journeys and building the world from the core of this human connection.

Cat - The emotional prints left by things that touch us are far more powerful than random spurts of information. If someone feels strongly about what they see, whatever emotion it may be, they will remember it. Emotional memory is key to forming passionate opinions. To us, nothing is better than a whole group of people leaving the theatre excited about Shakespeare! This enthusiasm can then overflow into the classroom and, hopefully, translate into good results!

How is Hiraeth working towards this goal?

Cat - We aim to make our productions accessible and stimulating to younger audiences, whilst ensuring that the heart and soul of the play shines through. Our goal is to inspire and impassion, creating appreciation for the work that lasts longer than just the tube ride home. We produce educational packs to accompany our shows to expand on what has been discovered in the theatre space, and to make it applicable to curriculums and exam syllabus. These packs highlight key themes within the text to link them to the production, aiding revision. We also offer a range of in-classroom workshops on various texts, actively engaging with the works and exploring how they are relevant to us today, within the guidelines of the curriculum.

Why do you believe it’s important for young people to experience and study Shakespeare?

Zoe - Theatrical tradition in this country is full of stunning works but, without carefully targeted education, these texts risk being lost to the history books. Shakespeare’s use of language is exquisite; the beauty of his work is something to be valued and enjoyed by all, regardless of background, age or learning style. It is up to us as educators to create an environment in which this important part of our literary culture can be fully appreciated, and passions ignited to fuel the next generation.

Hiraeth’s production of ‘Hamlet’ runs at the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith from 28th May- 22nd June. Offer on Page. 14

GODOT:

Off West End & Around Town

Arcola Theatre Tube To Book

Dalston Junction or Dalston Kingsland 020 7503 1646 and quote MOUSETRAP OFFER Tamasha presents

My Name Is…by Sudha Bhuchar (Studio 2) Tickets Dates Ages

2 for 1 (Usually £12 each) Thursday 1st May 14+

When Gaby disappeared from her Scottish home, it was assumed that her Pakistani father Farhan, had kidnapped her and the spiraling headlines were only momentarily silenced when it emerged that Gaby may have fled of her own accord, choosing to spend her life with her father in Pakistan. To her Scottish mother Suzy’s distress, Gaby declared, “my name is Ghazala” and turned her back on ‘Gaby’ and seemingly, the West.

If you’re interested in: Verbatim Theatre, Political Theatre, Contemporary Theatre, Issues of National and Cultural Identity Student Night: Monday 12th May - £10 tickets w/ teachers’ free (groups 10+).

Book online or over the phone using the code STUDENTNIGHT

Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett Tickets Dates Ages

2 for 1 (Usually £16 each) Thursday 8th May 12+

Two washed-up drifters wait by the road for a man they’ve never met, hoping against all proof that now, as night closes in and their patter runs dry, they may finally catch a break. Over the bare horizon, a figure leads another on a leash. Can this be what they are waiting for?

Comedy duo Totally Tom take on Samuel Beckett’s classic work of absurdist theatre.

If you’re interested in: Theatre of the Absurd, Minimalist Theatre, Tragicomedy, Samuel Beckett, Contemporary takes on Classics Student Night: Monday 2nd June - £12 tickets w/ teachers’ free (groups 10+).

Email nick@arcolatheatre.com to book

Morphic Graffiti presents Rodgers and Hammerstein’s

Carousel

Music by Richard Rodgers, Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Tickets: Dates: Ages:

2 for 1 (Usually £15 each) Thursday 19th June 12+

Voted the best musical of the 20th Century by Time Magazine, Carousel is the classic American musical, with a timeless score that includes the songs If I Loved You, and the iconic You’ll Never Walk Alone.

When mill worker Julie Jordan falls for the masculine charms of Billy Bigelow, a chain of events unravels that suggests their destiny is predetermined by the hand of fate. Set on the New England coastline, against the backdrop of the Great Depression, this reimagining of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel charts a story of recklessness, regret and redemption.

If you’re interested in: the 20th Century American Theatre, Musical Theatre, Rogers and Hammerstein Student Night: Monday 7th July - £10 tickets w/ teachers’ free (groups 10+).

Book online or over the phone using the code STUDENTNIGHT

Tube To Book

Sloane Square 020 7730 4500 and quote TPO Online at www.cadoganhall.com

What The Ladybird Heard Tickets Dates Ages

£9.50 All performances 24 July - 10 Aug 3+

Based on the award-winning picture book by Julia Donaldson (author of The Gruffalo and Room On The Broom) and Lydai Monks comes What The Ladybird Heard, a glittering new stage show ideal for pre and primary school children, Early Years, Reception and Key Stage 1.

This show uses live music, rhyming text, repetition and animal noises with plenty of audience interaction to encourage literacy and listening skills.

Two crafty robbers, one tiny ladybird, and a whole farmyard of fun!

Chicken Shed Tube To Book

Southgate 020 8292 9222 and quote Teacher Preview Offer Or email bookings@Chickenshed.org.uk

Paula’s Story Tickets Dates Ages

2 free tickets to teachers to preview performances Friday 2nd May & Saturday 3rd May @ 7.30pm 11+

Inclusiveness and an acknowledgement of what a person can do should be a way of life. Through its acclaimed work, Chickenshed uses the stage to celebrate diversity, and performance as a vehicle to tackle topical social issues. Paula’s Story is one such production.

Set in the late 1970s and ‘80s, it tells of an incredible journey of love, courage and commitment to the belief that every human being has the right to be nurtured. Born with cerebral palsy, medical experts tell Paula’s family there is little hope of her ever learning or understanding anything. Spurred on by the love for their daughter, and convinced that Paula possesses a profound connection and understanding, Paula’s parents fight for her to be appreciated as a human being, rather than a statistic.

Paula’s Story continues to be as relevant today as it was 21 years ago when first performed. It is a ‘must see’ for all parents and families, as well as for schools, health and support professionals , and all those who believe that everyone has the right to experience the same opportunities.

Off West End & Around Town

Cadogan Hall

Off West End & Around Town

Regents Park Open Air Theatre Tube To Book

Baker Street 0844 826 4242 or www.openairtheatre.com use code SD2014

The award-winning Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre provides a cultural hub in the beautiful surroundings of a Royal Park. Weather and climate add a thrilling dimension, making the relationship between performer, text and audience truly unique at every performance. The ideal environment for a group of young people to enjoy high quality drama.

All My Sons Tickets Dates Ages

by Arthur Miller

£15 per ticket (Usually up to £45) 15th May - 7th June 8+

“I know you’re no worse than most men but I thought you were better.

I never saw you as a man. I saw you as my father.”

Arthur Miller’s 20th Century classic is a moving story of denial, guilt and social responsibility. As the spectre of war overshadows a summer’s day, long-forgotten secrets strike at the heart of the Kellers’ family life.

Hobsons Choice by Harold Brighouse Tickets Dates Ages

£15 per ticket (Usually up to £45).

12th June - 12th July 5+

“Get one wedding in a family, and it goes through the lot like measles.”

A comedy from the cobbles of Lancashire, Mark Benton plays bombastic boot-shop owner Henry Horatio Hobson whose future is threatened by his daughter’s marriage to long-suffering boot-maker Willie Mossop.

With Hobson’s impending fall from grace, it is Willie who triumphs in this unlikely love story, as newfound fortitude deals a resolution that is - Hobson’s choice.

Porgy and Bess By George Gershwin, DuBose & Dorothy Heyward & Ira Gershwin Book Adapted by Suzan-Lori Parks, Musical Score Adapted by Diedre L. Murray Tickets Dates Ages

£15 per ticket (Usually up to £45).

17th July - 23rd August 5+

“One of these mornings you’re gonna rise up singing, Then you’ll spread your wings and you’ll take to the sky.”

A powerful story of love and betrayal, Porgy and Bess is celebrated as a landmark piece of American theatre. Porgy, a crippled beggar, is devoted to taming wild Bess and saving her from a life of ruin. Yet new beginnings give way to temptation as Bess is haunted by the demons of her past.

Directed by Timothy Sheader, this musical masterpiece includes I Got Plenty of Nothing, It Ain’t Necessarily So, I Loves You Porgy and the poignantly beautiful Summertime, an icon of the Great American Songbook.

Train To Book

Richmond (Overground) Call 0844 871 7651 and quote StageDirections £10 tickets www.atgtickets.com/richmond Enter code SD10POUNDTICKETS

Spring Awakening Tickets Dates Ages

£10 Tickets (Bands A-C) Wednesday 7th – Saturday 10th May (All performances) 16+

Headlong’s explosive new version of the Frank Wedekind play Spring Awakening comes to Richmond Theatre this May, offering you the chance to see a seminal dramatic text brought bang upto-date. Adapted by Evening Standard and Critics’ Circle Award-winning playwright Anya Reiss, this new version examines the exuberance, intensity and confusion of teenage life in contemporary society. The perfect, thought-provoking play to inspire discussion amongst young audiences.

Buddy Tickets Dates Ages

£10 Tickets (Bands A-C) Tuesday 27th – Saturday 31st May (All performances) 7+

A Peggy Sue-perb night out! Introduce your students to Buddy Holly and some of the greatest songs of the 20th century that would go on to inspire countless musicians for generations after.

From That’ll Be The Day to Johnny B. Goode, enjoy the 25th anniversary tour of the West End musical that offers the perfect starting point for studying a definitive era in music.

Buddy education pack is available to download at www.buddythemusical.com/education

Catch-22 Tickets Dates Ages

£10 Tickets (Bands A-C) Tuesday 24th – Saturday 28th June (All performances) 14+

Engage your English Literature students with an iconic 20th century novel through this masterful adaptation by the author himself, Joseph Heller. Critically acclaimed producing theatre Northern Stage bring this production to Richmond Theatre, which follows the story of Yossarian, the World War II bombardier who is stalked and thwarted by the merciless Catch-22.

Under Milk Wood Tickets Dates Ages

£10 Tickets (Bands A-C) Monday 7th – Saturday 12th July (All performances) 12+

Both a play and a poem, Dylan Thomas’ iconic piece conjures up the Welsh town of Llareggub, with its eccentric cast of characters. The brilliant use of imagery and rhythm has rightly made this a canonical literary text, but this new, centenary production is equally an exploration into the roots of language and the soul of Wales, making for a rewarding and unforgettable theatrical experience.

Under Milk Wood education pack is available to download at www.undermilkwoodtour.com/education/

Off West End & Around Town

Richmond Theatre

Off West End & Around Town

Riverside Studios Tube To Book

Hammersmith 020 8237 1111 and quote TPCHAMLET

Hamlet Tickets: Dates:

Ages:

£10 or £12 Wednesday 28th & Thursday 29th May (£10) Tuesday to Friday, 3rd June - 14th June (£12) 14+

Set in the confines of HMP Liverpool, Hiraeth Artistic Productions present this contemporary, highly visceral interpretation of the Bard’s most famous play. Combining Shakespeare’s expert storytelling with an energetic cast, modern sound-scape and innovative design, this bold production is a multi-sensory attack which promises to leave you and your students wanting more.

Schools matinees: 4th & 18th June @ 1.00pm (Followed by a complimentary Q&A).

Student tickets: £10 for any performance (groups of 10+) & 1 free teacher ticket per 10 students.

Also available: Follow-up educational material and interactive workshops at your school. (Contact Cat Nicole on education@hiraeth-theatre.co.uk)

Royal Court Tube To Book

Sloane Square 020 7565 5000 or www.royalcourttheatre.com and use code TEACHERS15

Birdland Tickets Dates Ages

Top price tickets for just £15 (Usually £32) Available for Saturday matinees during May 16 + (Adult subject matter)

The last week of a massive international tour and rock star Paul (played by Andrew Scott), is at the height of his fame. Everybody knows his name. Whatever he wants he can have. As the inevitability of a return home becomes a reality, for Paul, the music is starting to jar.

Themes: empathy, money, fame and celebrity culture.

Adler & Gibb Tickets Dates Ages

Top price tickets to previews for just £15 (usually £32) 13th – 18th June @ 7.30pm (Not valid Monday) 16+

A thrilling new play telling the story of two conceptual artists and a raid – on a life, a reality and a legacy - and playfully exploreing Tim Crouch’s fascination with theatrical form.

Themes: theatrical form, and reality and authenticity in art. Unusual form and methods of representation would be perfect to write about in drama exams.

The Nether Tickets Dates Ages

Top price tickets to previews for just £15 (usually £32) 17th – 26th July @ 7.30pm (Not valid Monday or 24th July) 18 + (Adult subject matter)

The Nether is a new virtual wonderland that provides total sensory immersion. Just log in, choose an identity and indulge your every desire… A haunting sci-fi thriller that explores the darkest corners of the human imagination.

Themes: virtual reality, morality online, digital world

Tube To Book

Clapham Junction, Queenstown Rd, Battersea Park. Bus: The Latchmere 020 7978 7040 - Please see code details below

A Handful of Stars

Tickets

Dates Ages

£10 teacher ticket (Usually £15) Group offer: 10 tickets for the price of 9 on £10 student tickets Thursday 1st May, Saturday 3rd May - Saturday 24th May 16+

In the Irish town of Wexford where ‘shot-gun’ weddings are outnumbered only by random acts of violence the pool hall is Jimmy’s sanctuary. But will such a place embrace his bright ambition or bring it down, burning to the ground?

As part of Theatre503’s ‘Second Look’ programme Artistic Director Paul Robinson directs Billy Roche’s decade defining play in its first professional solo revival since 1988. Play text available with cast and creatives biographies and further information on Theatre503.

Key topics: 1980s, Irish Culture, disaffected youth To Book: Call Box Office or book online as above and quote TEACHER

Please note, if you would like to book for both A Handful of Stars teacher offer and student group discount this will have to be carried out in two separate transactions.

ObamAmerica Tickets

Dates Ages

£10 teacher tickets (usually £12) Group offer: 10 tickets for the price of 9 on £10 student tickets Wednesday 3rd to Saturday 14th June 16+

ObamaAmerica is a fantastic opportunity for students and teachers to explore some of the real world challenges faced by this iconic American president. Through the voices of fourteen playwrights, students will discover how decisions made by Obama have impacted on the lives of people in the United States and around the world.

To Book:

Call Box Office or book online as above and quote OBAMATEACH

Please note, if you would like to book for both ObamAmerica teacher offer and student group discount this will have to be carried out in two separate transactions.

Unicorn Tube To Book

London Bridge 020 7645 0560 and quote TPREVIEW

1001 Nights Tickets Dates

Ages

£5 tickets (usually £16) Saturday 7th & 14th & Sunday 8th & 15th June Performances @ 11.00am or 2.00pm For age 7+ (Years 4 – 7)

A modern re-telling of the traditional Arabian Nights stories. Shahrazad – a young girl torn between her old home in the East and her new life in London - re-tells the extraordinary stories of her childhood to her new-found friend, who understands not a single word she says… Using the things she finds around her, she fashions saucepans into crowns, old pipes into enchanted telescopes and a mop into a magic carpet to transport us to a fantastical and imagined world of kings, viziers and jinns. A compelling, funny and totally absorbing play that explores what it means to be far away from home and celebrates the timeless power of stories.

Free teacher CPD day – Mon 28 April & Teacher resource pack available

Off West End & Around Town

Theatre503

Further Afield

Orchard Theatre, Dartford To Book

01322 220000 and quote Teachers Preview Club (A £1.50 per ticket booking fee applies) Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap Tickets Dates Ages

£5.00 off Monday 12th – Thursday 15th May 8+

The Mousetrap is famous around the world for being the longest running play in the history of British theatre – with over 25,000 performances.

Experience Dame Agatha Christie’s shuddering suspense as a group of guests gather in a country house cut off by the snow to discover that there is a murderer in their midst, but who can it be? One by one, the suspicious characters reveal their secret pasts until at the last, nerve-shredding moment, the identity and the motive are finally revealed.

Happy Days Tickets Dates Ages

Top Price Tickets Half Price - Quote HAPPY241 (Usually £32.50) Monday 19th – Thursday 22nd May 8+

Join your favourite ‘50s family, the Cunninghams and the rest of the gang - Potsie, Ralph Malph, Joanie and Chachi as they battle to save their beloved diner Arnold’s from demolition. In a race against time, can everyone’s favourite hero ‘The Fonz’ save the day?

Evita Tickets Dates Ages

£5.00 off Monday 2nd – Thursday 5th June 8+

Telling the story of Eva Peron, wife of former Argentine dictator Juan Peron, Evita follows Eva’s journey from humble beginnings through to extraordinary wealth, power and iconic status.

With more than 20 major awards to its credit, Evita features some of the most iconic songs in musical theatre, including Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, On This Night of a Thousand Stars and Another Suitcase in Another Hall.

Mikado, Iolanthe & The Pirates of Penzance from the Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company Tickets

Dates

Ages

£5.00 off (Excludes Sat eve) OR book all three musicals for £60 (£20 per ticket) Mikado- Wednesday 18th June Iolanthe – Thursday 19th June The Pirates of Penzance- Friday 20th & Saturday 21st June 8+

The Mikado - Not without reason The Mikado...Set in the fictitious Japanese town of Titipu, the story exudes big, colourful characters and well-known songs that you will be humming long after you have returned home. Come along and enjoy the wit and magic of Gilbert and Sullivan performed by some of the country’s leading exponents of the world-famous Savoy operas.

Iolanthe - Iolanthe is a delightful operetta about a fairy banished from Fairyland for life for marrying a mortal. In this “fairy opera”, the House of Lords is lampooned as a bastion of the ineffective, privileged and dim-witted. The political party system and other institutions also come in for a dose of satire.

The Pirates of Penzance - This wonderful, jolly romp complete with a brave(ish!) band of swashbuckling of pirates, a completely dotty Major-General Stanley, his beautiful unwed daughters and a bumbling bunch of hopeless but hilarious British policeman, has all the elements for simply excellent entertainment.

To Book

01494 512000 and quote MTP Offer Birmingham Royal Ballet: Triple Bill Les Rendezvous, Kin & Elite Syncopations Tickets Dates Ages

£8.50 (Plus £1.50 per ticket booking fee) Friday 20th June @ 7.30pm Saturday 21st June @ 2.30pm & 7.30pm All

The world renowned Birmingham Royal Ballet return to the Wycombe Swan with another triple bill featuring works by two of the greats of British ballet, Sir Frederick Ashton and Sir Kenneth MacMillan.

An exciting new work from upcoming choreographer Alexander Whitley will also be performed.

All pieces accompanied by live music from members of the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap Tickets Dates Ages

£5 off (Plus £1.50 per ticket booking fee) Monday 7th July @ 7.30pm 8+

Further Afield

Wycombe Swan

The Mousetrap is famous around the world for being the longest running play in the history of British theatre – with over 25,000 performances.

Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain Tour Tickets To Book

2 for 1 tickets Book in person or on phone & quote Teachers Preview Offer

Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells • •

Wednesday 28 May @ 7.00pm Box Office on 01892 530613

Cliffs Pavilion, Southend • •

Sunday 8th June @ 11.00am Box Office on 01702 351135

GLive, Guildford • •

Tuesday 8th July @ 7.00pm Ticket Desk on 0844 7701 797

The new Horrible Histories show, Barmy Britain is touring including all new amazing 3D effects. It’s the chronological horrible history of Britain from the Romans to the First World War, but with the nasty bits left in! Ideal for KS2. Full details & free teachers notes at www.barmybritain.com/tour

On Tour

Experience Dame Agatha Christie’s shuddering suspense as a group of guests gather in a country house cut off by the snow to discover that there is a murderer in their midst, but who can it be? One by one, the suspicious characters reveal their secret pasts until at the last, nerve-shredding moment, the identity and the motive are finally revealed.