Di and Viv and Rose at the Vaudeville Theatre

Di and Viv and Rose has announced it is to close nearly two months early. Following a sensational run at Hamstead Theatre, Amelia Bullmore's hilarious and insightful comedy about female friendship which opened to positive reviews is to close 6 weeks early. The West End is a strange place and shows which should do well often don't. ie Urine Town was a great hit at the St James theatre but its West End transfer suffered a similar fate to Di and Viv and Rose. The shows producers said "Despite great acclaim from critics and a hugely positive reaction from audiences, the West End can be an unpredictable place and transferring a new play has its risks. We'd like to thank our hugely talented cast and creative team for all of their hard work as well as the audiences who have supported the production from the start." Di and Viv and Rose at the Vaudeville theatre closes on 14 March 2015. BOOK Book tickets to Di and Viv and Rose at the Vaudeville Theatre

Production photo's of Di and Viv and Rose at the Vaudeville Theatre. Anna Mackmin directs Amelia Bullmore's, hilarious and insightful comedy Di and Viv and Rose at the West End’s Vaudeville Theatre from 22 January til 23 March 2015. Di and Viv and Rose features a fabulous cast including Tamzin Outhwaite (EastEnders, New Tricks) as Di, Olivier Award winner Samantha Spiro (Hello Dolly, Grandma’s House) as Viv and Olivier Award winner Jenna Russell (Sunday in the Park with George, Urinetown) as Rose. [ngg src="galleries" ids="438" display="basic_imagebrowser"]  Di and Viv and Rose at the Vaudeville Theatre

A reviews round up for Di and Viv and Rose at the Vaudeville Theatre starring Tamzin Outhwaite, Jenna Russell and Samantha Spiro. Following a sensational run at Hampstead Theatre, Amelia Bullmore’s hilarious and insightful comedy Di and Viv and Rose about female friendship opened last night (29 January 2015) at the Vaudeville Theatre. Directed by Anna Mackmin, Di and Viv and Rose is written by acclaimed author and actress Amelia Bullmore, with design by Paul Wills, lighting by Oliver Fenwick, sound by Simon Baker, choreography by Scarlett Mackmin and costume supervision by Jackie Orton. Find reviews below from The Telegraph, Evening Standard, BOOK Book tickets to Di and Viv and Rose at the Vaudeville Theatre

In our Masterclass series of interviews we take a look at the business of West End theatre, from the creatives behind the curtain to the people responsible for putting on a show. Jackie Orton, Costume Supervisor Jackie Orton is a London based costume supervisor having worked at the Royal Court Theatre for 14 years before launching a freelance career. Following early West End work on Mack and Mabel and Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Orton's long run at the Royal Court included break-out hits such as Posh, Jumpy and Clybourne Park. Her recent work has included The Crucible at the Old Vic Theatre starring Richard Armitage and East is East at the Trafalgar Studios starring Jane Horrocks. Forthcoming projects include Di and Viv and Rose at the Vaudeville Theatre starring Tamzin Outhwaite, and High Society directed by Maria Friedman at the Old Vic.  When did you first want to work with costumes for theatre? Jackie Orton Actually, I wanted to be a prop maker. I did Theatre Design at college and was more interested in that side of things,but because I'd had a history of sewing and textiles at school, I kind of drifted into costume. It seemed the easier option at the time! Where did you learn your trade? I think it was my grandma who taught me how to sew and got me interested in making things. I can't remember why and when I wanted to go into theatre, I don't come from a 'theatrical' background, I come from a farming family! I went to art college to study Theatre Design and then worked my way through the wardrobe ranks. It wasn't until I started work at the Royal Court that I realised I had an eye for Costume Supervising, so I would say it was there that I honed my skills in this particular area of wardrobe and costume. What was your breakthrough show? I started out as a casual wardrobe assistant many years ago at the Leicester Haymarket doing everything from dressing to wardrobe maintenance to making. I was dressing on 'Mack and Mabel' which transferred to the Piccadilly Theatre in 1995 so I came to London to carry on working on that. I suppose that would be the show that put me on the London theatre map. (Well, the show that got me to London, anyway.) Did you have a mentor when you were starting out? Certainly during my years at the Royal Court I learnt an awful lot from Iona Kenrick who was Head of Costume (and is now at the National Theatre). I started there as a casual assistant and wardrobe manager but she saw my potential as a supervisor so before long I was supervising shows in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs and progressed to the main house, with shows such as Posh, Sucker Punch and Chicken Soup with Barley to name but a few. What’s your favourite West End theatre and why? I love the Duke of York's on St Martin's Lane. Maybe it's because that's where I started my Royal Court career looking after 'The Weir' but also it's where 'Posh' and 'Jumpy' transferred to from the Court so it became a second home for a while. It's quite a small theatre but it's got a great feel to it. What’s been your most challenging production? Nearly every show I work on throws up its own challenges but I recently supervised 'The Crucible' at the Old Vic. I'd left the Royal Court after many years to go freelance and this was my first production as a freelancer. So, although I'd done big, challenging shows at the Court, I'd always had support from my longstanding colleagues. Doing a show of this scale was a bit nerve wracking and I wanted it be a good start to my freelancing career. Luckily, working with designer Soutra Gilmour and director Yael Farber proved a great experience; the show turned out really well and is one of the shows I'm most proud of. Which part of the job do you love the most? I love meeting new people and catching up with old faces from the past so when I start a new project, I'm keen to see the cast and contact lists to see if there's anyone I know. The first day of rehearsal is great as it quite often feels like a reunion. I also love it in a fitting when we get a costume just right and the actor leaves feeling positive and happy. They quite often rely on the costume to help them develop their character so it's great if we can go any way to help with that process. Costume is very personal and fittings can be quite tense especially if the actor is having a hard time in rehearsal. A big part of my job is to help the actor feel confident in what they are wearing. What would most surprise a non-theatre person about your job? That it's nowhere near as glamorous as it sounds! When I tell people I work in costume, they immediately conjure up images of big frocks and corsets and me surrounded by luxurious fabrics and sequins when in fact, most of what I do is contemporary so it involves an awful lot of shopping. Some people think that sounds great... getting paid to go shopping, how fab! However, I can walk for miles trudging the length and breadth of Oxford Street looking for the perfect item, so it’s not always so glamorous in reality. Do you have any advice for someone wanting to get into what you do? Be prepared to work your way up. Start as a dresser or assistant but be interested and aware of the other aspects of costume and wardrobe. Ask questions and make yourself useful. You have to be a jack of all trades to a certain extent so hone your skills and learn new ones. You have to turn your hand to anything at a moment’s notice especially during busy times or working for a small theatre. Any skills you pick up in the early days will serve you well as your career progresses. You don't necessarily need a qualification although a lot of theatres are doing apprenticeship schemes which are a great way for a young person to learn the trade from the inside and are an incredibly important way of getting a foot in the door. A lot of the work happens through word of mouth and recommendation so as long as you make a good impression and work hard, you will progress. Personality goes a long way. It's a small world out there so if people like working with you, they will recommend you. Actors or designers? Who do you love more? You can't ask me that! I probably spend more time with actors. If I need to pop in to rehearsals for anything, I will make sure I chat to the cast in case anything has come up since I last saw them. I think it’s very important to build up a relationship with actors as they need to put 100% of their trust in you. They are more likely to go to the supervisor with a costume issue rather than the designer so you have to be friendly and approachable. On the other hand, you are working closely with the designer to realise their creative vision for the show so having a good and productive relationship with the designer is fundamental and I get a huge amount of inspiration from working with designers. Who do you most admire in theatre? That’s a tricky question. I loved working on shows directed by Dominic Cooke, former Artistic Director of the Royal Court. He was incredibly knowledgeable and would always talk about the play in depth on the first day of rehearsal. He’d explain any historical or political content very clearly like a really inspirational schoolteacher. He was incredibly calm and patient and I think I learned a lot from the shows I did with him. He also had great trust in the team around him which I think was a real compliment. What ambitions do you still have? To continue to push myself and find new projects to challenge me. My main ambition is always for the show I'm currently working on, as I want each show to be the best it can be and I strive to achieve that on every project. Tell us about your current projects I'm currently working on Di and Viv and Rose at the Vaudeville Theatre, which starts this month designed by Paul Wills and directed by Anna Mackmin. It's a great show about female friendships and I'm very proud to be part of it. Following that I am working on The Harvest for the Theatre Royal Bath and Maria Friedman's High Society at the Old Vic. * * * * * * * * * LINKS Jackie Orton - more news and shows BOOK Book tickets to Di and Viv and Rose at the Vaudeville Theatre Book tickets to High Society at the Old Vic

In our Masterclass series of interviews we take a look at the business of West End theatre, from the creatives behind the curtain to the people responsible for putting on a show. Paul Wills, Theatre Designer Paul Wills is a respected British theatre designer. His recent productions include Barnum directed by Timothy Sheader and Liam Steel at Chichester and on national tour, A Human Being Died That Night directed by Jonathan Munby at Hampstead Theatre and Fugard Theatre South Africa, The Two Gentlemen of Verona at the RSC directed by Simon Godwin, Once a Catholic directed by Kathy Burke at the Tricycle Theatre and Liverpool Royal Court Theatre, and Finding Neverland at the Curve Theatre Leicester and Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse, both directed by Rob Ashford. Paul Wills When did you first want to be a theatre designer? I've always had a passion for theatre, although the Hendon schools I went to were gearing me up for a future of History and Law. Very last minute I followed my heart, left my place at LSE and took a clearing place at Bretton Hall to study scenography. Where did you learn your trade? Although a degree gives you the freedom to experiment and learn, assisting designers, particularly Christopher Oram and Stephen Brimson Lewis proved to be the most valuable part of my training. Working backstage for the Sheffield Crucible was a great way to discover the workings of every department of a theatre. What was your breakthrough show? I guess it was 'Battina and The Moon' in the studio in Sheffield (thank you director Karen Simpson for offering me my first professional show!) It was for children and families and it was a truly great first job! From that, Kathy Burke offered me the brilliant Blue Orange, also in Sheffield. Another major milestone was being offered a new Mark Ravenhill play starring Sir Ian Mckellen and Deborah Findlay at the Donmar Warehouse, directed by Michael Grandage. That was a good phonecall to receive! Did you have a mentor when you were starting out? Neil Gidley from the props department in Sheffield taught me a great deal. Christopher Oram is definitely the Yoda to my Jedi. I assisted him for about 4 years and his teaching was invaluable. What’s your favourite West End theatre and why? The Donmar Warehouse has to be one of the most exciting theatres in the West End (maybe the world). It's such a challenging space but the rewards to solving its challenges are wonderful. I'm falling for the Vaudeville now that my latest project, Di and Viv and Rose, is transferring there. It's a great space. What’s been your most challenging production? Anna Christie, directed by Rob Ashford and staring Jude Law, was a challenge. Rob’s vision of a shipwreck on stage was inspired, and a great challenge! To create rain on that scale, hydraulics to raise the stage to such an extent and encourage the actors to work totally out of their comfort zones was thrilling to be part of. Which part of the job do you love the most? The design process in the model box and the lead up to that is wonderful. The Eureka moment (when that hopefully happens!), is always a thrill, especially if you are up against it and suddenly find unexpected inspiration in an image or painting. But I can just as often get a kick from slowly chiselling away at ideas to create a design. I also love meeting new casts and getting to know the actors, helping to shape the world they are to inhabit. What would most surprise a non-theatre person about your job? Probably the amount of hours, sometimes very lonely hours, designing and model making. Also the fact that you have to be able to turn your hand to quite a few different disciplines, including construction manager, painter, seamstress, animator, draughtsman… (and sometimes counsellor, diplomat and confidante!) Do you have any advice for someone wanting to get into what you do? If you have a strong desire to become a designer and are prepared to work very hard, follow the dream. Assist. If there's nothing out there, assist for free. See whatever you can, theatre of course, but also exhibitions, movies, places, architecture. Soak it all up. It will all be needed! Actors or director? Who do you love more? Most of my work and commissions come through directors... so naturally directors! Although we would be nowhere without actors. Who do you most admire in theatre? The dedicated backstage crews, scenic artists and builders that never get mentioned but are the heart and soul of everything we do. And Producers for taking the risks. What ambitions do you still have? Thankfully there are still a lot of theatres I would like to design in and directors I would like to work for. I think the National Theatre is right at the top. Tell us about your current projects I currently have a brilliant show called Howie The Rookie which opens at The Barbican this week before going to BAM in New York. I’m also prepping for the West End transfer of Di and Viv and Rose, and some exciting projects for next year are in the off. * * * * * * * * * LINKS Paul Wills - more news and shows Paul Wills - websiteBook tickets to Di and Viv and Rose at the Vaudeville Theatre