Shrek to trek across UK and Ireland


Alexandra Burke and Michael Ball play Chess


The first West End production of Chess since 1986 will star Michael Ball and Alexandra Burke. Described as an “epic musical


love story”, the show will be at the London Coliseum (April 26-June 2). It will also star Murray Head, Tim


Howar and Cassidy Janson, and is presented by Michael Linnit and Michael Grade in collaboration with English National Opera. Ball will perform the role of Anatoly and Burke is Svetlana. Ball has starred in the West End and on Broadway for 30 years, and is a double Olivier Award winner, multi-platinum recording artist and radio and TV presenter. chessthemusical.com


A new UK and Ireland tour of Shrek the Musical has opened at Birmingham’s New Alexandra Theatre. Dates have been added and the


production will be on its 24-venue national tour until January 2019. It stars Steffan Harri as the


swamp-dwelling ogre Shrek, and Call the Midwife star Laura Main as Princess Fiona. She shares the role with actor and recording artist Amelia Lily at selected venues while filming continues on the BBC series. Marcus Ayton is Shrek’s sidekick


Donkey and Samuel Holmes is the pint-sized villain Lord Farquaad. Nigel Harman returns as director,


having made his directorial debut on the first tour.


The audiences will see Shrek and Donkey embark on a quest to rescue the beautiful (if slightly


temperamental) Princess Fiona from a fire-breathing, love-sick dragon. The musical is based on the story and characters from William Steig’s book Shrek! and the DreamWorks Animations feature film. After Birmingham, the tour moves on to Aberdeen, Northampton,


Bumper bookings for Gilbert & Sullivan Festival


Sheffield, Cardiff, Stoke, Blackpool, Woking, Liverpool, Norwich, Canterbury, Milton Keynes, Bristol, Llandudno, Nottingham, Glasgow, Belfast, Dublin, Plymouth, Southampton and finally Leeds (December 18-January 6). shrekthemusical.co.uk


Second World War to be marked with concert tour


Actors Kevin Whately (left) and Peter Bowles will host performances of Our Finest Hour, to commemorate events in the Second World War. The show includes the songs: We’ll Meet Again and The White Cliffs of Dover as well as music inspired by the war, including the Dam Busters March – and audience participation will be encouraged for Rule, Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory. Whatley will host the show in April at Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Southend. Bowles will host on May 3, 4 and 5 at Gateshead, Manchester and London. Whatley returns on September 22 to Basingstoke, Leicester, Leeds, Newcastle, Ipswich, and Cambridge Corn Exchange. ourfinesthourconcert.co.uk


travelgbi.com Organisers of the 25th International


Gilbert & Sullivan Festival (August 8-27) in Harrogate say ticket sales have been “fantastic and unprecedented”. Tickets went on open sale in


early February and in the first three days, six times as many tickets were sold as in the same period last year. Ian Smith, chairman and


founder, said: “2018 is our silver jubilee year and we are absolutely delighted at this fantastic and unprecedented response. “The phone hasn’t stopped ringing and we have people coming to Harrogate from all corners of the


UK, Australia and the US – literally from around the world. “The festival is an absolute gem and quite simply one of the friendliest that you will find anywhere in the world.” The event will host 33


performing societies who will present 48 full-scale performances, with orchestra, in Harrogate Royal Hall and Harrogate Theatre. Performers aged over 60 will take part in the annual Bus Pass Opera and there will be a Festival Youth Production for those between the ages of nine and 19. gsfestivals.org


Tina Turner musical opens in West End


Tina, a new musical based on the life of singer Tina Turner, opened at the Aldwych Theatre in London last month. The cast comprises Adrienne


Warren, who plays the title role; Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Ike Turner; Madeline Appiah as Tina’s mother, Zelma Bullock; and Jenny Fitzpatrick as the alternate Tina. It is presented in association


with Turner, who visited London to see the actors in rehearsal. The show follows


her career from humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee, to becoming the ‘Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll’.


tinathemusical.com April 2018 | TravelGBI 27


© Johan Persson


© Helen Maybanks


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