Winter 2015AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP

JOHN SIMM KEITH ALLEN GARY KEMP GEMMA CHANTHE HOMECOMING

OH - THE JOY BEND IT LIKE

BECKHAM

GAMBLERS & GANGSTERS

GUYS & DOLLS RICHARD O’BRIEN’S ROCKY

HORROR SHOW

WARNING NAUGHTY

BITS!

PANTO SPECTACULAR Meet Torvill & Dean

-

OF THE BEST

WINTER

WORLD CLASSWhile summer brought ATG its first theatre in Australia,

the Theatre Royal Sydney - Autumn sees the industry

leader expand further into the US with the acquisition

of ACE Theatrical Group. This brings 5 more US theatres

into the ATG family including this beauty - The King’s

Theatre, Brooklyn. For the full story see pg 3.

THE HOMECOMINGAn impressive cast including Keith Allen,

Gemma Chan, Ron Cook, Gary Kemp,

John Macmillan and John Simm in a

dynamic production of Harold Pinter’s

finest play - a crackling hotbed of visceral

tension directed by Jamie Lloyd at

Trafalgar Studios. 50th Anniversary

Production.

atgtickets.com

WADDESDON MANOR CHRISTMAS FAIR Local artisan producers and independent

traders in majestic festive surroundings

- a decidedly chic way to start your

Christmas shopping.

18 November - 6 December.

waddesdon.org.uk

PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT - THE MUSICAL ON TOURThe biggest party on the planet rolls into

Edinburgh just in time for Christmas. Priscilla

Queen of the Desert - The Musical (starring

Jason Donovan) boasts hits from Go West

to Boogie Wonderland. Get up on the

dancefloor and go glitzy!

atgtickets.com

MACK AND MABELSee Michael Ball, the UK’s greatest

musical theatre star in a major new

production of the classic Broadway

masterpiece visiting Manchester and

Edinburgh this Autumn.

‘SHEER MOVIE AND MUSICAL MAGIC’ Times

atgtickets.com

SHOE JEWELNicholas Kirkwood

pearl court shoe

£655

selfridges.com

Guys and Dolls

CONTENTS 1 MUSICAL MAGIC Joyous, universal, funny - it’s

Bend it Like Beckham

3 TICKET TO THE WORLD New additions to the ATG family from

Sydney to Brooklyn

5 MATINEE IDOL We meet History Boys and Guys and

Dolls star Jamie Parker

7 THERE WILL BE BLOOD A family drama like no other - Oresteia

8 COMPETITION Win an ‘insanely glitzy’ night out

at Priscilla Queen of the Desert -

The Musical

9 WINTER WONDERLAND Spangles and fairy dust (but no ice)

for Torvill & Dean this Christmas

11 ATG TICKETS Our red-hot tips for Autumn

13 TRANSYLVANIAN TITILLATION Richard O’Brien on the mash-up that

became the world’s favourite rock ’n’

roll musical

15 ORIENTAL INSPIRATION From kimono to cheongsam - the

Ancient East is where it’s at this season

17 STARRY NIGHTS What to watch and where to go from

Bristol to Edinburgh

AMBASSADOR GROUP PRODUCTIONS / AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP LONDON THEATRES Apollo Victoria 0844 871 7615

Donmar Warehouse 0844 871 7624 Duke of York’s Theatre 0844 871 7623 Fortune Theatre 0844 871 7626

The Harold Pinter Theatre 0844 871 7622 Lyceum Theatre 0844 871 7615 Phoenix Theatre 0844 871 7629

Piccadilly Theatre 0844 871 7630 Playhouse Theatre 0844 871 7631 Savoy Theatre 0844 871 7687 Trafalgar Studios 0844 871 7632

AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP REGIONAL THEATRES Aylesbury Waterside Theatre 0844 871 7607

New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham 0844 871 3011 Theatre Royal Brighton 0844 871 7650 Bristol Hippodrome 0844 871 3012

Churchill Theatre Bromley 0844 871 7620 Edinburgh Playhouse 0844 871 3014 Leas Cliff Hall Folkestone 0844 871 3015

Kings Theatre Glasgow 0844 871 7648 Theatre Royal Glasgow 0844 871 7647 Empire Theatre Liverpool 0844 871 3017

Palace Theatre & Opera House Manchester 0844 871 3019 Milton Keynes Theatre 0844 871 7652

New Theatre Oxford 0844 871 3020 Richmond Theatre 0844 871 7651 Southport Theatre & Convention Centre 0844 871 3021

Regent Theatre & Victoria Hall Stoke-on-Trent 0844 871 7649 Sunderland Empire 0844 871 3022

Princess Theatre Torquay 0844 871 3023 New Wimbledon Theatre & New Wimbledon Studio 0844 871 7646

Ambassadors Cinemas Woking 0844 871 7643 New Victoria Theatre & Rhoda McGaw Theatre Woking 0844 871 7645

York Grand Opera House 0844 871 3024 Online booking at atgtickets.com

BROADWAY THEATRES The Lyric Theatre 212-556-4750 ASIA-PACIFIC THEATRES Theatre Royal, Sydney +61 2 9224 8444

ACE THEATRICAL GROUP King’s Theatre, Brooklyn (718) 856-2220 Majestic & Empire Theatres, San Antonio (210)-226-5700

Saenger & Mahalia Jackson Theatres, New Orleans (504)-525-1052

BB GROUP Mannheim, Germany +49 621 10792-0

Jessamy Hadley Editor Pat Westwell, Jo Caird, Al Senter, Benedict Nightingale, Natalie Anglesey, Lucy Johnston, Olivier Lievre,

Victoria Kingston, Rachel Knowles, Nicole Logan Contributors Shaun Webb Design Design and Art Direction John Good Ltd Print

The Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd 39 - 41 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H OAR

The views expressed in this magazine are

those of the authors and not necessarily

those of the Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd.

Cover photograph by Trevor Leighton

John Simm The Homecoming

Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show

OF THE BEST

ll we’re really doing is taking the story and

doing it in a completely new way,’ says

Howard Goodall, composer of Bend It

Like Beckham: The Musical. Fans of the

smash-hit film will enjoy the show, he hopes, but more

important is that the theatre production ‘stands on its

own two feet’. Judging from the ecstatic response of

both critics and audiences since Bend It Like Beckham

opened at the Phoenix Theatre in May, it does just that,

and then some.

FUNNY, UPLIFTING, UNIVERSAL - BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM IS HARD TO BEAT

When director Gurinder Chadha first approached

Goodall about adapting her 2002 feelgood movie

about Jess’ attempts to follow in the footsteps of her

hero David Beckham, they agreed that the music had

to be ‘a completely original thing’. The composer knew

barely anything about Punjabi music at that point, but

threw himself into it, setting out ‘to create a musical

language for the piece that belongs just to this story

and these people on that stage for those two and a

half hours.’

1

AInterview by Jo Caird Photography by Ellie Kurttz and Kevin McDaid

BACKSTAGE

‘

MUSICALMagic

In some ways, Goodall’s creative process was no

different to that of any other musical (and the

composer has written plenty, from 1984’s The Hired

Man to the more recent Love Story). ‘You judge, what

does the character need? What does the moment

need? What does the drama need? And you do all that

and you create all that structure,’ he explains.

But along with making sure that audiences were

fully invested in Jess and her friends and family as

characters, Goodall had to try to ‘recreate musically

from scratch’ the excitement of bhangra, without

simply doing a pastiche.

‘That was obviously going to

be a big challenge but a really

fun one. I don’t think I’ve

enjoyed anything as much as

doing this show in my whole

career.’

With the help of orchestrator

Kuljit Bhamra (‘the godfather of

bhangra’, according to Goodall), the composer

dreamt up a score featuring both what we think of as

traditional musical theatre instruments - piano, electric

bass, guitar, violin, cello - and Indian percussion and

voices.

‘It’s a mixture of them improvising and me saying,

‘OK, now I’ve got the hang of this, can you try a bit of

this? And that’s why the whole process has been joyful

because normally you don’t get that. It’s very rare to

have that amount of creative input from everybody.’

The musical’s plot has made for a more satisfying

than usual creative journey too. ‘Our story, which is

about someone whose parents have difficulty with

what she’s chosen to do, it’s the story of many people

in our cast,’ the composer reveals. ‘So often those

discussions in rehearsal have been very interesting,

and rather emotional.’

ATG Magazine / 2

PHOENIX THEATRE

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAMUntil 20 February 2016Directed by Gurinder Chadha with choreography and musical staging by Aletta Collins. Written by Paul Mayeda Berges and Gurinder Chadha.Score by Howard Goodall, lyrics by Charles Hart and orchestrations by Howard Goodall and Kuljit BhamraBox Office 0844 871 7629* Online booking at atgtickets.com *Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s

access charge, bkg fees apply.

‘UTTERLY UPLIFTING’ SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

‘IRRESISTIBLE. AN END TO END JOY.WONDERFULLY LIFE AFFIRMING’ DAILY MAIL

It’s this universality - trying to find your path while

navigating other people’s expectations - that has made

Bend It Like Beckham a hit with such a diverse range

of audiences in the West End. ‘It’s much more like a

British high street than most theatres are,’ says Goodall,

who is delighted to be able to share his work on such

a scale.

‘I’ve had to write a form of music that I never would

have anticipated having written. I’ve had to write for

an audience that’s quite new for me. I mean obviously

in the TV world I’ve done it as a writer for a very broad

audience (on documentaries

including The Story of Music),

but in stage terms this is quite

new territory,’ he explains.

Goodall was thrilled

to immerse himself in an

unfamiliar culture and style of

music when creating the show,

and if he’s done his job well,

he says, audiences will experience a similar sensation.

‘When people come out of Mamma Mia! they’re

smiling from one ear to the other because they know

that music really well, it triggers all the buttons. We’d

love it if people came out of Bend It Like Beckham

with the same sense of joy and fun.’

Joy and fun isn’t the only thing the composer wants

audiences to take home with them. ‘I would like them

to come out thinking that cultural mix is positive,’ says

Goodall. ‘This piece is the result of the fact that there

are immigrant communities living next door to people

who’ve been here much longer. And that the resulting

thing can be joyous.’ ■

‘ONE OF THE SUNNIEST, FUNNIEST MUSICALS IN MANY A YEAR’ DAILY EXPRESS

MAIL ON SUNDAY | SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

SUNDAY EXPRESS | DAILY TELEGRAPH

DAILY MAIL | INDEPENDENT

Howard GoodallJamie Campbell Bower

3

F or Rosemary Squire OBE and her husband

and business partner Sir Howard Panter, an

evangelical belief in theatre is second nature.

Put them in any situation and they’ll persuade

you that the most revolutionary, life-affirming and

inspirational thing you can do right now - is see a show.

Last time we met they encouraged me to see the

Almeida’s Oresteia at Trafalgar Studios; ‘it’s a once in

a lifetime opportunity, you must see it’ they urged.

They were right.

This summer, Squire’s views were in the spotlight

when as UK Entrepreneur of the Year 2014, she

represented Britain at the EY World Entrepreneur

of the Year Awards in Monaco - a stellar gathering of

exceptional business people from across the globe.

Squire was the first woman ever to win the prestigious

UK award and one of only six women world finalists

- reaching the final shortlist of ten. It was the perfect

opportunity to get her message out there on the world

stage - theatre can change lives and audiences deserve

the best theatre wherever in the world they may be.

This was only the prologue to a summer of

unprecedented activity in the international arena which

saw Panter and Squire at the forefront of exporting

British theatre to the world by heading up a round of

international acquisitions.

ATG became the first British theatre organisation

to plant a flag on Broadway in 2013 with its acquisition

of the Lyric (formerly Foxwoods) - Broadway’s biggest

theatre. ATG’s multi-million dollar refurbishment

transformed the venue’s public areas but also shook

up the New York theatre landscape with unparalleled

customer service. Lucky theatregoers in the US can

see Cirque du Soleil’s first ever Broadway production,

Paramour there in 2016.

A foothold on Broadway led to further acquisitions

in the US as ATG took its successful business model

out of the cities and into the regions breathing new

FOR AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP, GLOBAL IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO

INTERVIEW

Kings Theatre, Brooklyn, New YorkRosemary Squire OBE and Sir Howard Panter

TO THETicket World

Photography by Peter Rae

ATG Magazine / 4

life into some of the most important historic theatres

across America. Signing a deal to acquire top North

American theatre chain ACE Theatrical Group, ATG

at one stroke brought the beautifully restored Kings

Theatre in Brooklyn, New York, The Saenger Theatre

and Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts

in New Orleans, Louisiana and The Majestic Theatre

and Charline McCombs Empire Theatre in San Antonio,

Texas into the ATG family.

The theatres in New Orleans have experienced

something of a renaissance since the devastation

brought about by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Built

in 1927 in the Italian Renaissance style, the Saenger

became the focus of a $53 million redevelopment

project after the disaster to bring it back to its original

design. The Mahalia Jackson Theatre also underwent

a $30 million refurbishment. ‘We want to expand

further throughout North America and into other

territories worldwide,’ said Squire, ‘The acquisition of

ACE presents us with a superb opportunity to work

with old friends to help develop that vision.’

With the acquisition of its first theatre in Sydney

it looks like ATG will follow a similar pattern in the

Asia-Pacific region having spotted demand in China,

South Korea, Japan and Singapore. The Theatre Royal,

part of the MLC Centre in the Central Business District,

is Sydney’s oldest theatrical institution and one of

the city’s premier commercial theatre venues.

Panter says that having produced shows in Australia

for a number of years, ATG fell in love with the Theatre

Royal. His team will work with MLC Centre co-owners

to improve its facilities and create the signature ATG

world class experience for theatre patrons.

‘We plan to showcase the very best of theatre from

Australia and the rest of the world, placing the MLC

Centre and the Theatre Royal firmly in the centre of

Sydney’s theatrical life,’ he said.

The biggest live theatre business in the world with

over 3500 staff worldwide, ATG now finds itself

promoting the best that Britain can offer in towns

and cities across the globe. And in the Spring, ATG

became the majority shareholder of BB Group, one of

the leading producers of premium live entertainment

in Europe, at one stroke making a significant increase

in production capacity. BB Group productions this

year include Rocky Horrow Show, We Will Rock You

and The Bodyguard.

‘I don’t come from London and it was vital to me

growing up in Nottingham that there was fantastic

theatre on my doorstep,’ Squire says, hinting at the

eclectic spirit behind the growth of Ambassador

Theatre Group both in the UK and abroad. ‘I think

it’s so important for a community to have culture

at its heart.’ ■

Saenger Theatre, New Orleans, LouisianaThe Majestic Theatre, San Antonio, TexasThe Theatre Royal, Sydney

Sir Howard Panter in Sydney

For more information visit atg.co.uk

5

O n this side of the Pond at least, the

musical theatre seems to lack a young,

virile male in the

mould of an Alfred

Drake or Brian Stokes Mitchell,

chaps who serenade and

smoulder their way to stardom,

a kind of Mr D’Arcy set to music.

But a young man who has been

staking his claim to the vacant

title is Middlesborough native Jamie Parker who has

been catching eyes as a musical theatre talent to watch

out for. Recently, Parker has been busy re-acquainting

himself with the character of Sky Masterson, the

ladykiller gambler who falls for the demure charms of

Sister Sarah, the Salvation Army

ingénue in Frank Loesser’s abiding

masterpiece Guys and Dolls. This

Broadway musical and film

sensation originally starred those

great matinee idols Frank Sinatra

and Marlon Brando so Parker

has a lot to live up to.

After a triumphant run at Chichester, the production

has been revived for the road with a strictly limited West

End season at the Savoy thrown in for good measure.

JAMIE PARKER IS A SIZZLING SKY MASTERSON IN GUYS AND DOLLS

INTERVIEW ★ ★ ★ ★‘THE GREATEST GOLDEN AGE

MUSICAL OF THEM ALL’ TIMES

Feature by Al Senter Photography by Johan Persson

IdolMATINEE

★ ★ ★ ★‘OOZES PURE CLASS’

MAIL ON SUNDAY

ATG Magazine / 6

This sizzling tale of gamblers, gangsters and nightclub

singers boasts some of Broadway’s greatest show-

stoppers including Sit Down You’re Rockin the Boat,

My Time of Day and I’ve Never Been in Love Before.

With choreography from world-renowned Cuban

ballet star Carlos Acosta and Andrew Wright (Singin’ in

the Rain, Barnum), it features a cast and orchestra of

over 40 and features Olivier award winners David Haig

and Sophie Thompson. But the smouldering will

largely fall to Parker.

He’s had some practice. Prior to

Guys and Dolls, Parker spent

several months at

London’s Old Vic

Theatre as the

cynical reporter

in High Society,

the role played

in the 1956

film by Frank

Sinatra. In the

year of the

centenary of the

birth of Ol’ Blue

Eyes, Parker has also

been called upon to

play the great crooner at

the Sinatra Prom. He’s

therefore been recently

wrapping his tonsils around such

great standards as Swell Party and

Luck Be a Lady.

What made him decide to take up Chichester’s offer

when the revival of Guys and Dolls became a reality?

’Guys and Dolls is one of the great Broadway

musicals, Sky is a part I love, it was a production I was

proud to be part of. What can I say about Sky? He’s a

gambler, of course, but it’s not helpful to see him only

in these terms. For both Sarah and Sky, they meet

when the walls around them are down and the whole

story does pivot on that fact. I’d argue that Guys and

Dolls is one of the top three Broadway musicals of

all time: I’d place it alongside My Fair Lady and

West Side Story.’

Parker first made an impression as a member of

the extraordinary ensemble who came together for

The History Boys at the National and he seems happy

to cast himself as pupil to a series of mentors including

Richard Griffiths, Frances de la Tour and Roger Allam.

‘I learnt a lot about listening in The History Boys.

Both Frankie and Richard were able to be particular

and accurate in their speaking and thinking but not

at the expense of spontaneity. In Henry

IV, Part One, at every performance

I’d listen to Roger delivering

Falstaff’s speech about

honour and he

never missed

a trick or

intonation.

I thought to

myself, you

bastard! You’re

taking a

meticulous

navigation through

that thing which

is the prose while

making it wholly

contemporary.’

‘I’m all too aware that

I am only as good as the

material I’m given’ says Parker. His

screen work has left him with the feeling that

‘I’m a stranger on sets where all your scenes are done

in a whirlwind of action and line-learning.’ And as we

have seen, Roger Allam has provided something of

a role model.

‘You have to be careful not to be pigeon-holed in

the musical theatre. Like Roger, I’d like to do everything

from The Thick of It to Shakespeare, still making it up

as I go along!’ ■

GUYS AND DOLLSStarring Sophie Thompson, David Haig, Jamie Parker and Siubhan Harrison and with choreography by Carlos Acosta and Andrew Wright

PALACE THEATRE MANCHESTER 10 - 21 November 2015Box Office 0844 871 3019*

NEW ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM 24 November - 5 December 2015Box Office 0844 871 3011*

SAVOY THEATRE, LONDON 10 December 2015 - 12 March 2016Box Office 0844 871 7687*

EMPIRE THEATRE, LIVERPOOL 16 - 19 March 2016Box Office 0844 871 3017*

EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE 12 - 16 April 2016Box Office 0844 871 3014*

KING’S THEATRE GLASGOW 7 - 11 June 2016Box Office 0844 871 7648*

MILTON KEYNES THEATRE 14 - 18 June 2016Box Office 0844 871 7652*

BRISTOL HIPPODROME THEATRE 12 - 16 July 2016Box Office 0844 871 3012*

NEW VICTORIA THEATRE WOKING 26 - 30 July 2016Box Office 0844 871 7645*

Online booking at atgtickets.com *Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s

access charge, bkg fees apply.

David Haig, Sophie Thompson

Jamie Parker ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘A SCINTILLATING REVIVAL. AN EFFERVESCENT DELIGHT’ FINANCIAL TIMES

Interview by Benedict Nightingale Photography by Manuel Harlan

TRAFALGAR STUDIOS

ORESTEIADirected by Robert IckeStarring Lia Williams as Klytemnestra and Jessica Brown Findlay as Electra. Until 7 November 2015Box Office 0844 871 7632* Online booking at atgtickets.com *Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone

company’s access charge, bkg fees apply.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ TIME OUT | SUNDAY TIMES

OBSERVER | MAIL ON SUNDAY

‘A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME PIECE OF THEATRE, THE BEST THING THIS YEAR’ TIME OUT

‘SHOCKINGLY GOOD’ GUARDIAN

7

F orty years ago Lia Williams’s father took her

to see Fonteyn and Nureyev dance Romeo

and Juliet, and she was, she says ‘utterly

blown away. That’s when I understood that

you can transform yourself as an actor and transport

an audience. I was crying at what they felt for each

other - and I thought, I’d like to have that effect

some day.’

Well, she’s had a powerful effect in many roles,

recently the doomed Blanche in Tennessee Williams’

Streetcar Named Desire and, alternating roles with

Kristin Scott Thomas, two friends in Harold Pinter’s

Old Times. But she’s outdone herself as Klytemnestra

in Oresteia at the Trafalgar Studios. Robert Icke’s

modern-dress adaptation goes way beyond

Aeschylus’s original and allows Williams successively

to be loving wife and mother,

anguished parent, secretive

plotter, and ferocious

avenger: a complex and

finally frightening mix of

emotions that could win her

an Olivier award.

Icke created the piece

with her in mind but she was

initially uncertain about

accepting the lead: ‘I’m not

interested in playing monsters

or stereotypes, but Rob said

he didn’t see Klytemnestra

that way. He wanted the

audience to connect with a

family drama and the death of

a child, involving real people

rather than mythic ones.’

Indeed, he asked Williams to

watch The Sopranos, mafiosi

who committed hideous

crimes yet had their own

morality.

She’s an assiduous

researcher, who went up the

Mississippi when she was

preparing to play Blanche

DuBois, but this time a

box-set of the American TV

series was her start. However,

she also watched Hillary

Clinton on Youtube - ‘smiling

and very commanding’ - and

even had a butcher hang up

a dead cow for her to stab in

preparation for the murder

of Agamemnon. ‘Yes, it was

remarkably easy. The knife

just slid in. And now I have the

memory of what it feels like

when I’m describing it to the audience.’

It’s still a challenging role, but that’s what appeals

to her. The more unusual a character, she says, the

better. And she’s versatile enough to alternate

between television, film and stage and between acting

and directing, having recently been nominated for a

BAFTA for her film version of Strindberg’s Stronger.

‘But my passion is theatre,’ she adds. ‘If I’m offered

a great stage role I’ll do it, no matter where it is.

There’s nothing like the live experience. Nothing.’

Sitting with her in her dressing-room between a

matinee and an evening performance, meaning over

seven hours in which she’s pushing herself to the

emotional limits, yet hearing her say she’s far more

exhilarated than exhausted - well, I believe her. ■

PROFILE

Angus Wright and Lia Williams

A BRUTAL AND BRILLIANT FAMILY SAGA

BloodTHERE WILL BE

COMPETITION

ATG Magazine / 8

NEW ALEXANDRA THEATRE BIRMINGHAM 20 - 24 October 2015Box Office 0844 871 3011*

AYLESBURY WATERSIDE THEATRE 26 - 31 October 2015Box Office 0844 871 7607*

THEATRE ROYAL BRIGHTON 2 - 7 November 2015Box Office 0844 871 7650*

GRAND OPERA HOUSE YORK 30 November - 5 December 2015Box Office 0844 871 3024*

EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE 15 December 2015 - 2 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 3014*

LIVERPOOL EMPIRE 25 - 30 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 3017*

MILTON KEYNES THEATRE 1 - 6 February 2016Box Office 0844 871 7652*

NEW VICTORIA THEATRE WOKING 15 - 27 February 2016Box Office 0844 871 7645*

KING’S THEATRE GLASGOW 29 March - 2 April 2016Box Office 0844 871 7648*

PRINCESS THEATRE, TORQUAY 11 - 16 April 2016Box Office 0844 871 3023*

BRISTOL HIPPODROME THEATRE 30 May - 11 June 2016Box Office 0844 871 3012*

NEW THEATRE OXFORD 13 - 18 June 2016Box Office 0844 871 3020*

Online booking at atgtickets.com *Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone

company’s access charge, bkg fees apply.

To get your hands on this great prize simply

answer the following questions:

1. IN WHICH COUNTRY IS PRISCILLA SET?A) IRELAND B) AUSTRALIA C) CANADA

2. JASON DONOVAN IS FORMERLY OF WHICH AUSTRALIAN SOAP OPERA?A) NEIGHBOURS B) HOME AND AWAY C) SONS AND DAUGHTERS

Please return your answers on a postcard, not

forgetting your name, postal address and email, to;

Nicole Logan, The Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd,

39 - 41 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0AR

before Friday 14 November 2015. ■

*Duncan James and Jason Donovan do not appear at all venues /

performances - please check atgtickets.com for details

Due to its more colourful language this show has a guidance

rating of 15+

Terms and Conditions

One winner will be drawn at random after the closing date.

The prize includes four tickets (Mon - Thu perfs only) to see

Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical at the ATG venue of

your choice, plus one bottle of champagne, icecreams for 4 & 4

house programmes. Prize is subject to availability, non-transferable

& non-redeemable for a cash value. Not open to employees of

Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd. Editor’s decision is final.

lip on your favourite heels and dust off

that feather boa because it’s time to join the

ultimate party! Due to popular demand,

the West End and Broadway feel-good

international hit sensation Priscilla Queen of the

Desert - The Musical is returning to a theatre near

you. Winner of 4 whatsonstage.com awards including

Best New Musical and starring Jason Donovan and

Duncan James (Blue) at selected venues*, Priscilla is

the heartwarming, uplifting adventure of three friends

who hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love

and friendship and end up finding more than they

ever dreamed of.

Based on the smash-hit movie and with a dazzling

array of dance floor favourites including I Will Survive,

Hot Stuff, Finally, Boogie Wonderland and I Love the

Nightlife, this wildly fresh and funny musical is a journey

to the heart of fabulous.

We’re offering one lucky reader and three of

their most glamorous friends the best seats in the

house along with the full VIP treatment including

champagne, ice-cream and programmes.

S

‘THE BEST FEEL-GOOD

SHOW SINCE MAMMA MIA

SUNDAY EXPRESS

CHRISTMAS

PARTY -

EDINBURGH!

Priscilla visits the Edinburgh

Playhouse for a spectacular

extra helping of festive

fun - from 15 Dec

’

9

‘As Fairy Godparents, with the help of fairy magic,

we’ll be catalysts to the story.’

‘I’m particularly looking forward to lots of audience

participation,’ Christopher enthuses. ‘We’re used to

speaking to audiences on television - so they’ll expect

that when we’re on stage. My two boys live in

Colorado and have never heard of pantomime. But if

I can persuade them to see dad at work they may be

in for a few surprises!’

The Sarajevo 1984 Winter Olympics saw Torvill and

Dean shoot to international fame as they became the

highest scoring figure-skaters of all time, dancing to

Ravel’s Bolero, and earning a gold medal. But both

refuse to divulge if we’ll be seeing Bolero on stage.

‘We want everything to be a fresh surprise for our

audiences,’ Jayne smiles mysteriously.

As tradition dictates, this classic rags to riches tale

will be an extravaganza of glittering sets, gorgeous

costumes, big song and dance numbers, real Shetland

ponies - and of course jaw-dropping skating

sequences! Manchester can’t wait.

Meanwhile over in Milton Keynes the glamorous

Priscilla Presley will star in Aladdin. Priscilla, best

known for co-starring with Leslie Nielsen in the

Naked Gun series and as Jenna Wade in Dallas, will

embody the magic of Christmas as the Genie of the

Lamp. Widow Twankey is played by actor, comedian

and national treasure Gary Wilmot. Dancer,

choreographer, and director, Wayne Sleep OBE, is the

Genie of the Ring. While former A1 boyband member,

Ben Adams, is Aladdin! Oh yes he is!

Tabloid sensation, darling of the gossip columns

INTERVIEW

WINTER

GET YOUR SKATES ON FOR TORVILL AND DEAN IN PANTOMIME

Images: Warwick Davis, Matthew Kelly, Gregor Fisher, Anita Dobson, Priscilla Presley and Hayley Mills Above: Katie Price

ecember is the season to be jolly and we

humans used to celebrate it with

questionable outdoor rituals involving lots

of liquid refreshment. Nowadays we prefer

to celebrate in a warm theatre watching a pantomime.

If you’re one of the millions that enjoy this very old, very

British tradition - the jokes, the celebrity appearances,

the shouting, the merrymaking, fairy dust and glamour -

then ATG theatres offer a cracker full of choice this

Christmas!

This year’s magical family pantomime at the

Manchester Opera House, is Cinderella, which sees

national treasures Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean,

making their panto debut as Fairy Godparents. ‘We’d

been asked before,’ Jayne confesses.‘But we were so

busy coaching, choreographing and filming Dancing

On Ice, as well as performing the Arena tours, we just

never had the time.’

Now Britain’s sporting icons will amaze audiences with

sparkling routines. ‘When we were approached again,

for the first time ever, we were free,’ laughs Christopher.

‘We’re really looking forward to bringing Cinderella to

life on skates - but this time we’ll be wearing hi-tech

roller-blading skates which we wore for the Royal Variety

Performance. This means we’re not reliant on ice - so

we can be more involved in the panto. We’re already

working on new choreography which will bring a lot

of excitement to the wonderful Cinderella story.’

What about the logistics of trading huge arenas for

proscenium arch stages? ‘We’re fortunate because, at the

Opera House, they’re able to extend the stage over the

orchestra to allow us extra space,’ Jayne explains.

ATG Magazine / 10

and canny businesswoman Katie Price appears in

panto for the first time at The New Victoria Theatre in

Woking this Christmas. Sharing the role of the Wicked

Fairy in a spectacular Sleeping Beauty with Anita

Dobson, Katie will bring wicked glitz while Anita casts

her legendary charm! CBeebies favourite, Ben Faulks

(Mr Bloom), is a green - fingered Prince Charming.

And over at the Richmond Theatre look out for

Golden Globe and BAFTA award-winner Hayley Mills

in Cinderella. Joining her and back by popular

demand are Olivier award-winner Matthew Kelly

alongside his son Matthew Rixon as the Ugly Sisters

while CBeebies presenter Chris Jarvis (Show Me

Show Me) plays Buttons.

Other celebrities getting ready to share in the panto

magic this year include Gregor Fisher in Snow White at

Glasgow King’s Theatre, X factor winner Sam Bailey as

a glamorous Fairy Bowbells in Aylesbury Waterside

Theatre’s Dick Whittington,

Stoke favourite Jonathan Wilkes returning

to the Regent Theatre in Peter Pan and Eric Potts a

spectacular Sarah the Cook in the Liverpool Empire’s

Dick Whittington. A special appearance from movie

star and global phenomenon Shaun the Sheep

completes the starry line-up at the Bristol Hippodrome.

With sensational songs, dazzling dance routines,

and audience participation aplenty - it’s

a sparkling line-up guaranteed

to get you out of the house

and away from the

leftovers. What more

could you ask for

this Christmas? ■

Interview by Natalie Anglesey Photography by Paul Coltas

Images: Warwick Davis, Matthew Kelly, Gregor Fisher, Anita Dobson, Priscilla Presley and Hayley Mills Above: Katie Price

AYLESBURY WATERSIDE THEATRE

DICK WHITTINGTON Starring Sam Bailey, Andy Collins & Melanie Masson11 December 2015 - 3 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 7607*

BRISTOL HIPPODROME

SNOW WHITE Starring Warwick Davis, Andy Day, Andy Ford & Shaun the Sheep 5 December 2015 - 3 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 3012*

KING’S THEATRE, GLASGOW

SNOW WHITE Starring Gregor Fisher, Des Clarke, Juliet Cadzow, Jenny Douglas 4 December 2015 - 10 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 7648*

LIVERPOOL EMPIRE THEATRE

DICK WHITTINGTON Starring Sally Lindsay, Leanne Campbell, Eric Potts, Pete Price & Kurtis Stacey 12 December 2015 - 3 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 3017*

OPERA HOUSE MANCHESTER

CINDERELLA Starring Torvill & Dean5 December 2015- 3 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 3019*

MILTON KEYNES THEATRE

ALADDIN Starring Priscilla Presley, Gary Wilmot, Ben Adams, Wayne Sleep & Kev Orkian4 December 2015 - 10 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 7652*

RICHMOND THEATRE

CINDERELLA Starring Hayley Mills, Matthew Kelly, Chris Jarvis & Matthew Rixon4 December 2015 - 10 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 7651*

REGENT THEATRE, STOKE-ON-TRENT

PETER PAN Starring Jonathan Wilkes & Christian Patterson5 December 2015 - 3 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 7649*

NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE

PETER PAN Star cast to be announced 5 December 2015 - 10 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 7646*

NEW VICTORIA THEATRE WOKING

SLEEPING BEAUTY Starring Katie Price, Anita Dobson Ben Faulks and Carla Nella 11 December 2015 - 10 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 7645*

FOR FULL CASTING DETAILS AND ONLINE BOOKING FOR ALL PANTOS ACROSS ATG VENUES THIS YEAR VISIT atgtickets.com

*Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone

company’s access charge, bkg fees apply.

ATG TICKETS

11

BOOK YOUR TICKETS ONLINE AT ATGTICKETS.COM YOUR ONE STOP SHOP

Donmar Warehouse 0844 871 7615

LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSESJanet McTeer and Dominic West

return to the Donmar with Michelle

Dockery.

ORESTEIAPart The Godfather and part

Breaking Bad, this unmissable

event brings Aeschylus’ greatest

play to the London stage.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Time Out | Sunday Times

Observer | Mail on Sunday

MUST-HAVE TICKETS FOR THE AUTUMN - ACROSS THE UK

PANTO STOP PRESS - KATIE PRICEBringing a whole world of

glitz and glam to Woking’s

Sleeping Beauty this

Christmas, model and TV

star Katie Price shares the

role of the Wicked Fairy with

Anita Dobson (Eastenders).

THE HOMECOMINGAn unmissable theatre event as

Harold Pinter’s finest play starring

Keith Allen, Gemma Chan, Ron Cook,

Gary Kemp, John Macmillan and

John Simm comes to the Trafalgar

Studios. Directed by Jamie Lloyd -

one of the leading interpreters of

Pinter’s work.

MARY POPPINS ON TOUR

The enchanting story with

dazzling choreography, incredible

effects and unforgettable songs -

adapted from the book by

P L Travers and our favourite

Walt Disney film.

SHREK ON TOUR ‘Shrektacular. A great show for

all the family’ Sunday Telegraph

‘Joyous. A monster hit!’ Mirror

‘A big thumbs up’ Daily Mail

*Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge, bkg fees apply. **Studio 2 has been made possible by a generous donation from Christina Smith. ATG Magazine / 12

ATG TICKETS

BOOK YOUR TICKETS ONLINE AT ATGTICKETS.COM YOUR ONE STOP SHOP

Phoenix Theatre 0844 871 7629

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAMA joyous new British musical

featuring an original score with

a Punjabi kick, it brings a unique

cultural fusion of musical theatre

to the stage.

Trafalgar Studios** 0844 871 7632

THE WASPMorgan Lloyd Malcolm’s electric

thriller asks how far beyond the

playground we carry our childhood

experiences.

Duke Of York’s Theatre 0844 871 7623

FARINELLI AND THE KINGMark Rylance (Wolf Hall,

Jerusalem), ‘one of the greatest stage actors in the world’ (Daily

Telegraph), stars in Claire van

Kampen’s moving & mesmerising

new play.

Apollo Victoria 0844 871 7615

WICKEDExperience ‘the hit musical with brains, heart & courage’ (Sunday

Telegraph) as it flies into its seventh

spellbinding year.

TRAFALGAR STUDIOS** 0844 871 7632

THE HOMECOMINGThe Jamie Lloyd Company returns

to the West End with Harold

Pinter’s enigmatic masterpiece,

The Homecoming, in the 50th

anniversary year of the multi

award-winning modern classic.

Starring Keith Allen, Gemma Chan,

Ron Cook, Gary Kemp,

John Macmillan and John Simm.

Savoy Theatre 0844 871 7687

GYPSYTransfers to the West End following

its sell-out, rapturously acclaimed

five-star run at the Chichester

Festival Theatre.

Piccadilly Theatre 0844 871 7630

JERSEY BOYSWorldwide smash-hit musical

about Frankie Valli and the

Four Seasons. ‘This true life mega-hit story of the Four Seasons is an utterly wonderful show of vitality, pace and power. Oh what a night of magical memories’ Daily Express

Fortune Theatre 0844 871 7626

THE WOMAN IN BLACKOne of the most exciting and

gripping theatre events ever

staged. ‘A truly nerve-shredding experience’ Daily Mail

Harold Pinter Theatre 0844 871 7622

SUNNY AFTERNOONThe critically acclaimed

production.

★ ★ ★ ★ ‘This is a great, very British musical about a great, very British band’ The Times

King’s Cross Theatre 0844 871 7615

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN ‘Delightful. Kids will love this production & adults will be moved to tears’ Evening Standard

King’s Cross Theatre 0844 871 7615

IN THE HEIGHTSThis smash-hit, Tony Award-

winning musical is a joyously

uplifting tale of young love.

‘Joyous choreography. It is simply ravishing’ The Times

Lyceum Theatre 0844 871 7615

DISNEY’S

THE LION KINGWith a cast of over 40 actors,

singers and dancers.

‘A beautiful dazzle of invention & imagination’ Evening Standard

INTERVIEW

RICHARD O’BRIEN REFLECTS ON THE SHOW THAT TOOK ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN

I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange

journey… so begins the narrator of The Rocky

Horror Show, in lilting tones. With its larger-than-

life characters, this is not a journey for the prudish,

as young couple Brad and Janet discover when,

caught in a storm, they arrive at the castle belonging

to the fabulously corseted Transylvanian transvestite

Dr Frank N. Furter.

One of the greatest rock ’n’ roll musicals ever

created, Rocky Horror Show is also a hugely

entertaining journey that has endured for over forty

years, and is still going strong. Not to mention being

the vehicle that has brought the world the most

compelling group-participation dance of all time.

This Autumn fans took part in probably the largest

simultaneous Time Warp ever when a gala

performance of the show at the Playhouse Theatre,

London was broadcast to over 600 cinemas across

the country - a record-breaking sell-out in which

show creator Richard O’Brien appeared as Narrator

alongside a host of celebrity guests including comedy

legend Stephen Fry and Spice Girl Emma Bunton.

The show takes to the UK theatre circuit once again

this season, in a suitably big, loud, visually stunning

production.

What began with no more expectation than ‘three

weeks of fun’ back in 1973, in the experimental

upstairs studio at the Royal Court, became a theatrical

phenomenon that ran for the following seven years

in the West End, growing in status all the time,

followed by Broadway, and has barely been out of

production since.

So what is its lasting fascination? ‘Other musicals

of that era very much stayed with that time, they Interview by Lucy Johnston

IT’S TIME TO RE-START THE PARTY!

13

TRANSYLVANIAN

TitillationBE WARNED THIS SHOW HAS RUDE PARTS!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ‘STILL THE SEXIEST AND FUNNIEST SHOW IN TOWN’ Evening Standard

haven’t transferred well,’ muses Richard O’Brien,

who is perched on the sofa next to me. His distinctive

look marks him out immediately, in the same

curiously compelling way that his show sits clear

of all competition.

‘Rocky Horror Show isn’t a musical in the expected

sense. It’s a mix of genres and cultural references that

you’ll never experience in another West End show.

I think it’s for that reason it hasn’t dated. Ultimately,

it’s a simple fairytale; a Babes in the Wood type

narrative. Those kind of stories endure,

because they are human stories.’

Richard’s own story began

with a childhood spent

between the UK and New

Zealand. In his early

twenties, struggling

to find a direction

that really inspired

him, he came to

London on a

year-out,

looking for

inspiration. He

headed for the

Hayward Gallery,

where he was to

experience an

epiphany that

would make his career.

‘It was 1969, and this

big, new movement had

arrived… Pop Art. I left that show

elated, I think I was floating a few

inches off the ground. The work of those artists -

Wesselmann’s cigarette packet-style paintings, or the

Campbell’s soup cans - made me see that there was

something compelling and glamorous in depicting

everyday subject matter in an artistic setting.’

‘So that was it,’ he continues. ‘I already loved

songwriting and, in that moment, I saw that what I had

to do was bring Pop Art to the stage. So I went home

and started pulling pieces of a show together from all

over the place, a kind of mash-up of everything from

Glam Rock to adverts from the back of magazines, to

the science fiction double-features that I would go to

a lot back then, just sitting in the dark of the

cinema soaking it all up.’

Richard is clearly a pioneer. But in the way of many

similarly visionary creative minds, he is charmingly

self-deprecating. ‘I like to think of it as a rather

affectionate stew,’ he smiles, ‘a hotpot of the

extraordinary ideas that were swirling around me

at that time. All those things that fascinated me, and

still do. I took all of that, and knitted it into this new

cardigan which then just took on a life of its own.’

With the help of the film version, which

came out in 1975, the show caught

the imagination of a global fan

base, giving it a following

the like of which has

never been achieved

with any other show.

And it is this

enduring fan base

which makes the

show experience

particularly

memorable - the

efforts taken to

dress up in

character, the

thundering

appreciation at

the end and, most

notably, the unique

tradition of the ‘call back’

heckles. Please note it is

acceptable - even expected - for

fans in the audience to heckle; as long

as you stick to the ritual phrases, and your comic

timing is spot-on. You have been warned!

Altogether, you come away from this show

feeling you are part of something extraordinary.

I am confident when I say that I won’t have been

the only one left feeling a little bereft at the end,

as reality filters back into the auditorium.

And by the end you will - I promise you - find

yourself doing the Time Warp. ■

The world’s favourite rock ‘n’ roll musical starring Diana Vickers (Little Voice, X-Factor) as Janet, Ben Freeman (Wicked, Emmerdale) as Brad, Paul Cattermole (S Club 7) as Eddie/Dr Scott

THEATRE ROYAL BRIGHTON 18 December 2015 - 2 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 7650*

MANCHESTER OPERA HOUSE 5 - 16 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 3018*

NEW ALEXANDRA BIRMINGHAM 25 - 30 January 2016Box Office 0844 871 3011*

LIVERPOOL EMPIRE 1 - 6 February 2016Box Office 0844 871 3017*

SUNDERLAND EMPIRE 15 - 20 February 2016Box Office 0844 871 3022*

NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE 29 February - 5 March 2016Box Office 0844 871 7646*

PRINCESS THEATRE TORQUAY 7 - 12 March 2016Box Office 0844 871 3023*

EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE 28 March - 2 April 2016Box Office 0844 871 3014*

GRAND OPERA HOUSE YORK 11 - 16 April 2016Box Office 0844 871 3024*

AYLESBURY WATERSIDE THEATRE 18 - 23 April 2016Box Office 0844 871 7607*

RICHMOND THEATRE 2 - 7 May 2016Box Office 0844 871 7651*

REGENT THEATRE, STOKE-ON-TRENT 23 - 28 May 2016Box Office 0844 871 7649*

NEW VICTORIA THEATRE WOKING 27 June -2 July 2016Box Office 0844 871 7645*

BRISTOL HIPPODROME 18 -23 July 2016Box Office 0844 871 3012*

MILTON KEYNES THEATRE 25 -30 July 2016Box Office 0844 871 7652*

KING’S THEATRE GLASGOW 8 -13 August 2016Box Office 0844 871 7648*

Online booking at atgtickets.com *Calls cost 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s

access charge, bkg fees apply.

RICHARD O’BRIEN’S

ATG Magazine / 14

Above: Richard O’Brien

Photograph by Shaun Webb Design

15

STYLE

INSPIRATIONOriental

OUTFIT 1 JACKET net-a-porter.com £420

JEANS hossintropia.com £125

SUEDE CLUTCH £99 SHOE BOOTS £140

Both from unisa-europa.com/en-GB

OUTFIT 2 DRESS tedbaker.com £159

NECKLACE uk.accessorize.com £25

PATENT BAG £185 SHOES £170 Both from lkbennett.com

OUTFIT 3 KIMONO TOP anthropologie.com £98

NECKLACE olivierslounge.co.uk £45

T-SHIRT £15.99 TROUSERS £39.99 Both from zara.com

PUMPS kurtgeiger.com £99

TEA CUP AND SAUCER tedbaker.com £27.50

MINT & BERGAMOT TEA mariagefreres.com £10.32

BOOKS Asia Light book by Ghillie James £15.99

Tokyo Luxe City Guide £6.99 Both from waterstones .com

CERAMIC PLATE by Makoto Kagoshima. Stylists own from

a selection at Gallery Eclectic. eclectic66.co.uk/1/

All prices quoted are given as a guide only and may be subject to change by individual retailers

Feature by Olivier Lievre

ATG Magazine / 16

GOING OUTWE GAVE OUR INTREPID THEATRE FAN A CHALLENGE - SQUIRREL OUT THE BEST MUSICALS ON TOUR THIS AUTUMN AND WHERE BEST TO SEE THEM - HERE’S WHAT SHE FOUND

film of the same name, this big, bold and beautiful

musical comedy perfectly captures the Baltimore of

1962, where Tracy, a girl with huge hair and a huge

heart, is on a mission to follow her dreams and dance

her way to TV fame. It’s feel-good theatre with added

bounce - and we’re worth it.

It’s never too early to introduce children to theatre

- and a musical is visually exciting, accessible and fun

to watch. Not to be missed this autumn is Cameron

Mackintosh’s supercalifragilistic production of Mary

Poppins - played by Zizi Strallen, whose CV includes

Cats, Dirty Dancing, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Another top tip for families is Shrek, the song and

dance extravaganza. It’s wacky, larger than life and

perfect for children of five plus. Based on the award-

winning animation, it follows the story of the brave

Shrek and his faithful steed Donkey, who go on a

perilous quest to rescue the beautiful Princess Fiona.

Add in a cast of fairy-tale eccentrics, a biscuit with

attitude and a nail-biting wait at the altar and you

have a hot ticket on your hands.

And speaking of hot - catch Jason Donovan or

Duncan James starring in the fabulous international

hit Priscilla Queen of the Desert - The Musical when

it visits Edinburgh for Christmas. It’s guaranteed to get

you in the mood to party with dance floor hits from

I Will Survive to Girls Just Wanna Have Fun -

I can’t wait.

But where to catch all these treats - and what

else to do when you get there?

Indulge me - surely nothing is more joyous and

uplifting than a musical? This autumn promises to be

an all-singing-all-dancing extravaganza and it’s more

than tempting to prolong the experience by combining

a wonderful show with a city break - a delicious lunch,

afternoon tea, and maybe a few local attractions.

Aren’t we lucky - a handful of

standout musicals tour throughout the

autumn. The sparkling, foot-tapping

phenomenon Mack and Mabel is set in

the era of silent movies. Mack

(double Olivier award-winner

Michael Ball) is the

legendary film-maker and

Mabel (Rebecca

LaChance Beautiful

- The Carole King

Musical) is the

movie star with

a natural comic

talent. Their

real-life romance is

turbulent and the

music - the big band,

swing sound - is

dazzling.

Meanwhile, a brand

new production of

Hairspray is out on the

road. Based on the 1988

17

NightsSTARRY

Hairspray, Liverpool Empire New Alexandra Theatre, BirminghamEdinburgh PlayhouseBristol Hippodrome

Mack and Mabel with Michael Ball at the Edinburgh Playhouse

liverpool-one.com

liverpoolwaterfront.org

gustorestaurants.uk.com

liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime

tate.org.uk/liverpool

purnellsrestaurant.com

away2dine.co.uk/

cadburyworld.co.uk

castleterracerestaurant.com

nms.ac.uk

brewlabcoffee.co.uk

doylecollection.com/hotels/

the-bristol-hotel

coxandbaloneytearooms.com

Feature by Victoria Kingston

In the heart of Liverpool, the open-air shopping mall

Liverpool One hosts more than 160 high street and

designer stores. Peter’s Lane is packed with designer

brands, but if you want something a bit calmer, try

unwinding at the Liverpool Waterfront - enjoy the

stunning views and sense of sheer luxury. It offers

everything a visitor could wish for in the way of

shops and eating delights - Gusto and the Michelin-

recommended Maritime Dining Rooms, in the

Merseyside Maritime Museum, which is also fascinating.

Or try the Tate Gallery for a cultural treat. You could

even take a ferry across the Mersey. You could even

sing the song.

In Birmingham, visit the famous, 200-year-old

Jewellery Quarter. Around 40% of British jewellery is

made here. Rest and re-charge in Purnell’s Restaurant:

chic, contemporary and Michelin starred. Even more

relaxing is the canal region - Birmingham has more

miles of canal than Venice - and you can experience

this in a fascinating boat trip, complete with freshly

prepared food, drink and breathtaking views. Imagine

a dinner for two - with scenery that changes every

minute. If you want to go slightly further, a real family

treat is Cadbury World; see how it all started with this

Black Country company, watch your favourites being

made - and buy some chocolate to take home.

ATG Magazine / 18

LIVERPOOL

BIRMINGHAM

Cox and Baloney, BristolPriscilla Queen of the Desert - The Musical, Edinburgh Playhouse

Where to start with Edinburgh? There are so many

historic places, a favourite being Edinburgh Castle -

steeped in history. Nestled just beneath it is the Castle

Terrace Restaurant. Stylish and boasting wonderful

British cuisine it’s the perfect ending to a day walking

in this fabulous city. Or, if you fancy a taste of history

try the National Museum of Scotland - war exhibitions,

rural life, flight, art. It’s good to know that the Brew

Lab is very close by - a specialist coffee bar, which

is comfortably Bohemian, serving mouth-watering

food with local provenance.

Bristol is an extraordinary, historic city - and a look

at Brunel’s famous Clifton suspension bridge is

tempting, but so is afternoon tea, which the city has

in abundance. The Bristol Hotel and Cox and Baloney

Tea Rooms all offer luxury and elegance - scones

and dainty sandwiches, specialist teas (Cox and

Baloney offer 15 different loose tea choices!),

comfortable sofas and convivial surroundings.

Wherever you go this autumn, check out these

musicals and combine them with city breaks that

will be exciting, refreshing and memorable. After

all, we deserve it, don’t you think? ■

EDINBURGH

BRISTOL

Shrek the Musical, Edinburgh Playhouse and Liverpool EmpireNational Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh Mary Poppins, Bristol Hippodrome

To find out what’s on at ATG theatres

across the UK visit atgtickets.com