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KNU3A Theatre Group 10 November 2017

KNU3A THEATRE GROUP

[email protected] Theatre Group 0121 459 3339 07948963299

OJS Di, Viv Rose July

OJS Tina Turner August

OJS Mother’s

Ruin August

BR Jane Eyre Sept

BR I Knew You Oct

Cres

Hobson’s

Choice

Nov

BR Faulty Towers Dec

The Theatre Group’s next trip is 24 November 2017. Hobson's Choice by Harold Brighouse Will Mossop is the underpaid assistant to domineering boot-shop owner, Henry Hobson, who lords it over his employees and three daughters by day and drinks heavily by night. But one daughter breaks free of her father's tyranny and marries Will and together they set up a rival boot shop. Hobson vehemently opposes this until circumstances force him to make a choice. After dark discussion included with our visit.

We have already seen:-‘Di and Viv and Rose’ (July), ‘Tina Turner’s Steamy Bingo’ (Aug) and ‘Mother’s Ruin’ (Aug) at the Old Joint Stock and at the Birmingham Repertory we aw an interesting version of ‘Jane Eyre’ (Sept) and ‘I Knew You’ (Oct).

Tickets are booked for Faulty Towers Dining Experience which includes Christmas Dinner (Dec), Winslow’s Boy/+ Backstage Tour (Feb) and This House in April.

I have interest shown in Toadally FREE Comedy at Blue Orange (Jan 15), Menopause the Musical (Mar 5 at £25-28) and Blood Brothers (Apr 21 at £38) both at the Wolverhampton Grand.

Additional events are now available for May 2018. The Thrill of Love, about Ruth Ellis (the last woman to be hanged) and Truth. Also options for Hall Green Little Theatre; Cinderella, Far from the Madding Crowd, Murder, Margaret and Me. See details below and let me know if you are interested.

mailto:[email protected]


Grand Theatre 7:30pm Monday 5 March 2018 Menopause the Musical Cost: Stalls £25 or £28 +BK feeKings Norton Train, Tram from New Street, 6 minute walk to the Grand.

Starring: Cheryl Fergison (EastEnders), Maureen Nolan (The Nolans), Rebecca Wheatley (Casualty)Hilary O’Neil (TV Comedienne, ITV’s Copy Cats) This hysterical all-singing, all-dancing comedy is set in a department store, where four women with seemingly nothing in common, meet by chance and make fun of their woeful lives; experiencing ‘The Change’ and their problems with forgetfulness, mood swings, wrinkles, night sweats and chocolate binges.


Option for March 2018 Wolverhampton Grand Theatre MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL Monday 7:30pm 5 March 2018 Cost: £25 seats still available if we are quick, next price £28

Hall Green Little Theatre FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD Thursday 7.30pm 29 March 2018 7.30 Cost £10+

Options for April 2018 Birmingham Repertory Theatre THIS HOUSE Thursday 19 April 2018 2pm 1 seat available Cost: £22.50 Wolverhampton Grand Theatre BLOOD BROTHERSSaturday 14:30pm 21 Apr 2018Cost: £38 dress circle



Wolverhampton Grand TheatreBLOOD BROTHERSSaturday 14:30pm 21 Apr 2018Cost: £38 dress circle Kings Norton Train, Tram from New Street, 6 minute walk to the Grand.

The musical hit follows the story of fraternal twins Mickey and Eddie, who were separated at birth. One was raised in a wealthy family and one in a poor family, leading them to live very different lives at the opposite ends of the social spectrum. They both fall in love with the same girl, setting a tragic set of events in motion.Originally developed as a school play, Blood Brothers debuted in Liverpool before Willie Russell transferred it to West End for a short run in 1983. The musical won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical. Few musicals have received quite such acclaim as the multi-award winning BLOOD BROTHERS. Bill Kenwright’s production surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End, one of only three musicals ever to achieve that milestone. It has been affectionately christened the ‘Standing Ovation Musical,' as it inevitably “brings the audience cheering to its feet and roaring its approval.” (The Daily Mail) The superb score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit Tell Me It’s Not True.





The Crescent Theatre/The Studio The Thrill Of Love Friday 4 May 2018 19:45 pm + After Dark discussion Cost: £12 + fee/-disc

Confessing to the crime, yet refusing to offer defence or mitigation, Ruth Ellis was convicted of the murder of her lover and became the last woman to be hanged in Britain. This heart-wrenching play looks at Ellis’ life through the eyes of three women — friends and colleagues in the seedy world of London night clubs — as she pursues a fatally destructive relationship.There will be an After Dark discussion following this performance. Free to ticket holders.



Birmingham Repertory Theatre/The Door TRUTH Thursday 18 May 2018 Cost £10-14

When truth threatened my life, I told a lie…Truth is a unique and dazzling new show that looks at the once-simple notion of truth in a messy modern age. Helen Chadwick and Steven Hoggett have created a spellbinding fusion of song and choreography using testimonies collected from all over the world — some brutal, some hilarious. All are presented in a fresh and exhilarating style that truly pushes the idea of what theatre could be.


Options for May 2018 The Crescent Theatre/The Studio THE THRILL OF LOVE Friday 4 May 2018 19:45 pm + After Dark discussion £12+

Birmingham Repertory Theatre/The Door TRUTH Thursday 18 May 2018 Cost £10-14



Options for Hall Green Little Theatre (HGLT:Amateur)

Pantomime Hall Green Little Theatre Cinderella Saturday 16 December 2.30 or 7.30 A few tickets available if you want to take children. Let me know asap.Adults £10 Kids £8 + booking fee / — any possible group discount. More seats available for the 7.30 performance, same prices.

“Join in with adventure, laughs and surprises this Christmas with the magical Cinderella and friends in this fun-packed traditional pantomime for all the family. You’re going to love it — oh yes you are!” says the blurb.

Hall Green LT Far from the Madding Crowd Thursday 29 Mar 2017 7.30 £10+

When Bathsheba Everdene inherits a farm, no-one expects her to take on its management herself. But our spirited young heroine will not be deterred and takes up the mantle with vigour in this passionate and thrilling romance.

Hall Green LT Murder, Margaret and Me Thursday 21 June 2017 7.30 £8+

Black comedyMargaret Rutherford’s performance as Miss Marple made her a film icon, but Agatha Christie thought her unsuitable for the role! Come and unearth the mystery behind the mystery.




Reviews:-

September 2017 ‘Jane Eyre’ at Birmingham Repertory Theatre “Jane Eyre with a modern twist” said the blurb, so we didn’t really know what to expect. We also met someone in the foyer who had watched the first half of it the day before but did not return after the interval, she obviously didn’t like it. Bravely, we all went in and probably expected the worst and to be honest I wasn’t enamoured with the first half, myself. The stranger sitting next to me didn’t clap at the interval and left the auditorium without returning for the second half. I noticed there were quite a few gaps in the seating when we returned after the interval, but WE all went back for the second half.

Director Sally Cookson’s adaptation focuses on the life-story rather than the love story of Jane Eyre, so the first half was about her unhappy childhood which is not usually covered very well in most retelling. The production itself was unusual too! There was no depiction of the grandeur of Thornfield Hall, no sumptuous room scenes attempted (see picture left) and no physical construct of coach and horses to

show us the augustness of the place where the orphaned Jane was working. Instead the scenery looked like scaffolding, with wooden platforms at different levels and ladders and steps up; which the young energetic cast ran up, down and round at regular intervals to show us the scale of the house. Distance between the Hall and others places in Jane’s life was demonstrated by cast members standing in small rows bouncing from one foot to the other loudly, as if they were both horses pulling and people riding in a coach. (See picture right) The minimalist setting was most unusual for Jane Eyre, but the Rep Is leaning towards minimalist scenery more and more lately. Nevertheless, our group stuck with it and found it rewarding by the end. We all agreed it was very different but non-the-less enjoyable.




‘Black Country Night Out’ 5 October Oh dear! We all know ‘the best laid plans don’t always work out’. Well, that certainly happened with the ‘Black County Night Out’. We were due to attend this well reviewed tour at the Crescent Theatre on Thursday 5 October 7:30pm. Nine of us were looking forward to a lively night of Music and Comedy. However, we were doomed to disappointment. Late afternoon on the Saturday before (30/9) the Crescent Theatre lady rang with apologies for cancelling. Unforeseen circumstances meant the tour could not continue. Rather than just stay in I gave our group the choice of a refund or an alternative night out. Six of us opted to go to the Birmingham Repertory Theatre to see one of their ‘new talents’ series of plays. According to the programme:- “‘I Knew You’ is the highly anticipated second play from Birmingham-born writer and performer, Steven Camden aka Polarbear. He follows his 'innovative, heart-warming coming of age tale ‘Back Down’ with a powerful look at family dynamics which asks if we can ever really escape from our past. Lorna Laidlaw of Doctors plays the Mother.”

Again, this was unusually minimalist, with only a garden seat on stage. Each of the 3 actors (Mother, Son and Father) took it in turns to stand by or sit on the seat to express their thoughts. It was very well choreographed as the 3 danced round each other coming to the front or hanging at the back as the script demanded. We were quickly drawn into the predicament, empathising with each character. The Mother is angry at Father turning up after an absence of 20 years, son reluctant to meet him, wanting to support his Mum, finally Dad wanting to know his son before he dies of cancer. Each one has their own point of view to explain and we leave them just as it seems likely they will get together to talk about the thoughts expressed to us.

This play was very different to the music and comedy we had been expecting of the cancelled event. However, we all found it a powerful experience and empathised with the situation; some were moved more than others.



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