Bill Kenwright receives honorary degree
July 22, 2011
Three cheers for Bill Kenwright, who collected an honorary degree from the University of Liverpool yesterday.
Bill Kenwright receiving his honorary degree
The hard-working West End theatre impresario was said to be “delighted” after picking up the honour at the city’s Philharmonic Hall. His partner, the actress Jenny Seagrove, said that she was “very proud”.
The Liverpudlian, who was born in Wavertree, started as an actor before setting up Bill Kenwright Ltd, which has become one of the world’s most prolific theatre production businesses. His production of Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers has played in the West End since 1988. He is also Chairman of Everton football club.
His other London productions include Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre, and he is co-producer of The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium and forthcoming transfer on the National’s The Pitmen Painters at the Duchess Theatre. His company also runs a myriad of UK touring productions including Spamalot, Evita and Joseph.
Bill Kenwright. Photo © Liverpool Echo
Channel 4 News journalist Jon Snow also picked up an honorary degree at the ceremony.
Bill was awarded a CBE in 2000 for services to film and theatre, and this latest honour is justly deserved: He continues to be one of the West End’s greatest and most passionate champions.
LINKS
Book tickets to Blood Brothers at the Phoenix Theatre
Book tickets to Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Playhouse Theatre
Book tickets to The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium
Book tickets to The Pitmen Painters at the Duchess Theatre
The Country Girl – Reviews Round-up
October 19, 2010
Jenny Seagrove and Martin Shaw reunite onstage in Clifford Odets’s The Country Girl at the Apollo Theatre, following their onscreen roles in Judge John Deed.
Martin Shaw and Jenny Seagrove
The Country Girl is the powerful story of washed-up actor Frank Elgin, a desperate and demanding alcoholic who is offered a comeback chance to star in the next Broadway play by hotshot director Bernie Dodd. Believing the actor’s long-suffering wife Georgie is the reason for his decline, Bernie strikes up a stormy relationship with her – but in 1950s New York how far will a woman go to redeem the man she loves?
The play is directed by Rufus Norris (Festen, Cabaret).
Read a round-up of press reviews for The Country Girl, below.
The Country Girl: Save on tickets
October 11, 2010
Martin Shaw and Jenny Seagrove in The Country Girl
Jenny Seagrove and Martin Shaw reunite onstage in Clifford Odets’s The Country Girl, following their onscreen roles in Judge John Deed.
The Country Girl is the powerful story of washed-up actor Frank Elgin, a desperate and demanding alcoholic who is offered a comeback chance to star in the next Broadway play by hotshot director Bernie Dodd. Believing the actor’s long-suffering wife Georgie is the reason for his decline, Bernie strikes up a stormy relationship with her – but in 1950s New York how far will a woman go to redeem the man she loves?
Martin Shaw and Jenny Seagrove, stars of the multi-award-winning BBC drama Judge John Deed, are reunited to appear on stage together for the very first time. The play is directed by Rufus Norris (Festen, Cabaret).
Opening this week: Onassis, Flashdance
October 11, 2010
This week’s West End openings range from classic American drama to modern Greek tragedy, with Pittsburgh flashdancing and West End blues thrown in. Plus the 80th birthday of a Wicked West End theatre.
THE COUNTRY GIRL
Opening tonight, Monday 11 October, at the Apollo Theatre is Clifford Odets’s classic drama The Country Girl, about a once-great theatre star who is given the chance to make a major comeback.
Jenny Seagrove and Martin Shaw reunite on stage after their onscreen appearance in Judge John Deed to star in the show.
Special offer: Book tickets to The Country Girl at the Apollo Theatre
ONASSIS
On Tuesday 12 October at the Novello Theatre Robert Lindsay opens in Onassis, playing controversial Greek tycoon Aristotle in Martin Sherman’s new play. Based on the last years of this life, this powerful drama reveals his passionate and interwoven relationships with Jackie Kennedy and Maria Callas, and his son Alexandros. Stand-out supporting performances come from Anna Francolini as Callas and Lydia Leonard as Jackie.
Special offer: Book tickets to Onassis at the Novello Theatre
FLASHDANCE THE MUSICAL
Despite technical problems with the rain machine that postponed the start of previews, Flashdance the Musical is set for a trouble-free first night on Thursday 14 October at the Shaftesbury Theatre.
Based on the 80s movie about an 18 year old girl from Pittsburgh who is a welder by day and a ‘flashdancer” by night, the musical features the star of the UK tour, Victoria Hamilton Barritt, and former Busted boyband member Matt Willis. Grease producer David Ian is the man behind the show, with direction by Nikolai Foster and choreography by the ubiquitous Arlene Phillips. The show’s well-known score includes Maniac, Manhunt, Gloria and the Academy Award winning title song Flashdance – What a Feeling. Ten original songs have also been created for the musical.
Special Offer: Book tickets to Flashdance the Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE
Thursday also sees the opening night for the new venture at the King’s Head pub theatre in Islington: London’s Little Opera House opens with a new version of The Barber of Seville, directed by Robin Norton-Hale. Artistic director Adam Spreadbury-Maher is promising an exciting season of opera on a small scale including Madame Butterfly as a Bangkok lady-boy.
Book tickets to The Barber of Seville at London’s Little Opera House
THE MUSIC OF THE BLUES BROTHERS – A TRIBUTE
Finally, on Friday 15 October Hartshorn – Hook Productions presents ‘The Music of the Blues Brothers – a Tribute’, the most electric rock’n'roll party of the year. Following spectacular success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer with a month of sell-out shows and 5-star reviews, this raucous live tribute show is now rolling into London. This Tribute is directed by the award-winning Patrick Wilde and is backed by the tightest rhythm and blues band in the city. We tear through the best in American Blues, Soul and Rock’n'Roll classics including Gimme Some Lovin, Think, Minnie The Moocher, Sweet Home Chicago, and Jailhouse Rock. So dig out your sunglasses and get ready to shake your tail feather because this supercharged high-octane Tribute is about to take London by storm.
Books tickets to The Music of the Blues Brothers – A Tribute
APOLLO VICTORIA THEATRE
Friday also sees the 80th birthday of the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London. Celebrations have included an all-star charity gala yesterday, Sunday 10 October, featuring the cast of the venue’s current show, Wicked, and past productions including Starlight Express. The Apollo Victoria forms part of a historic year for West End theatres, with a number of venues celebrating their 80th anniversaries this year.
Designed by E. Wamsley Lewis and W E Trent, the Apollo Victoria originally opened as a cinema on 15 October 1930 showing George Arlis movie “Old English”.
OPENING: Alan Ayckbourn’s Bedroom Farce starring Jenny Seagrove
March 10, 2010
Alan Ayckbourn’s comedy Bedroom Farce, directed by Sir Peter Hall, will come to the Duke of York’s Theatre on 24 March for a 14 week season. Ayckbourn’s 1975 play about four couples will star Jenny Seagrove, Daniel Betts, Sara Crowe, Rachel Pickup, David Horovitch, Orlando Seale, Tony Gardner and Finty Williams. Jenny Seagrove recently got good notices in A Daughter’s Daughter at the Trafalgar Studios.
Bedroom Farce special offer – Save £26 on tickets
Agatha Christie's A Daughter's A Daughter – Half Price
December 10, 2009
Written by Agatha Christie under the pen-name ‘Mary Westmacott’, this is the first full-scale production of this rare Christie masterpiece since its premiere in 1954, and is presented by The Agatha Christie Theatre Company, by special arrangement with the author’s estate.
A must for all Agatha Christie fans, and brimming with her brilliant wit, this gripping psychological drama tells the tale of a mother and her daughter as they strive to find happiness in 1940s Britain.
Returning home from the Second World War, Sarah convinces her mother to ‘live life to the hilt’, and ditch her fiance Richard. Meanwhile, Sarah has become involved with cad Lawrence and feels the need to marry him in order to please her mother. Will Ann and Sarah make life decisions based on the other’s wishes?
An all-star cast will be led by Jenny Seagrove (Absurd Person Singular, Pack of Lies, Judge John Deed) and Honeysuckle Weeks from ITV’s BAFTA-award winning series, Foyle’s War. The cast also includes Tracey Childs, who has just recieved huge critical acclaim in a sell-out run playing Martha to Matthew Kelly’s George in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at London’s Trafalgar Studios, and Simon Dutton who recently played Binkie Beaumont in Plague Over England at The Duchess.
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