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TOURING NATIONALLY AUTUMN 2010 - SRRING 2011

Contents:

1. Sample Press Release (3)2. Touring Schedule (5)3. Information Page on the show (6-7)4. Biographies (8)5. Past Shows (9-12)

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Date / October 2010

PRESS RELEASE

Icarus Theatre Collective and Harrogate Theatre present a national tour of:

Hamlet: Prince of DenmarkTouring October 2010 – May 2011

by William ShakespeareDirected by Max Lewendel

Does revenge justify murder?

The King of Denmark is dead. Consumed with grief, Prince Hamlet devotes himself to avenging his father’s death with devastating consequences for his family and the Kingdom.

The spirit of a murdered king, the wrath of a vengeful son, and the turmoil of Denmark in 1601. Shakespeare’s most iconic and challenging play - arguably the world’s greatest dramatic work - tells the tale of young Prince Hamlet avenging his father’s death and confronting his uncle, the new King who stole his throne.

Cutting the original text down to around two and a half hours, Icarus Theatre Collective brings vividly to life some of literature’s most vibrant language and characters. This brand new production portrays Shakespeare’s definitive tragedy of justice and revenge.

Free Programmes for School groups normally £2.

Running time: approx 2h35m including 15 minute interval

Full tour schedule at: http://www.icarustheatre.co.uk/shows/hamlet.html

For further info, to arrange interviews or arrange Press Tickets please contact pr”at”icarustheatre.co.uk or call 0207 998 1562.

RELEASE ENDS / Word Count: 181

EDITORS’ NOTES & FULL TOUR SCHEDULE FOLLOW /

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EDITORS NOTES /

Harrogate TheatreHarrogate Grand Opera House, as the Theatre was originally known, opened its doors on 13th January 1900 as a number one provincial circuit theatre for star-studded touring companies. In 1933 the Theatre became home to the White Rose Players - one of the first permanent repertory companies in the country, they performed around 45 shows a year on a weekly basis.

In 1955 The Grand Opera House closed its doors. Following a period boarded up, the building was purchased by Harrogate Borough Council and The Harrogate (White Rose) Theatre Trust was established. The Trust runs the Theatre to this day leasing the Grade II listed building from Harrogate Borough Council and in 1967 the building was renamed as Harrogate Theatre.

The Theatre’s current artistic programme combines in-house produced theatre and toured in work that is both entertaining and relevant. Placed very much at the heart of its District the Theatre provides a range of education and outreach activities including youth theatre, professional development programmes and access to professional and community work. The Theatre has been greatly enhanced by a building-wide refurbishment of its public areas.

Icarus Theatre CollectiveIcarus is unique as a mid-scale theatre company in that it functions as a collective. A team of highly qualified Producers lead the company under the measured Artistic Direction of company founder Max Lewendel. Each Producer acts part-time on each project and has set tasks and responsibilities. In this way many projects can happen simultaneously and the company maintains a clear, strong Artistic Vision. Once per year, each producer leads one major project. This can be a play, a tour, a major education project, a devised piece, virtually anything approved by the Collective. They act full time for the duration and have a team of part time staff made up of the other Producers in the collective with clearly defined roles.

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TOUR SCHEDULE /

Day Date Time Venue Box OfficeSat 16 Oct 14.30 The Cockpit, London 0207 998 1562 Tue 19 Oct 19.30 The Castle, Wellingborough 01933 270007

Wed-ThuThu

20-21 Oct21 Oct

19.3013.30 Floral Pavilion, Wirral 0151 6660000

Fri-Sat 22-23 Oct 19.30 Stanwix Art Theatre, Carlisle 01228 400300Wed-Thu

Thu27-28 Oct

28 Oct19.3013.30

Byre Theatre,St Andrews, Scotland 01334 475000

Sat 30 Oct 20.00 Riverside Theatre, Coleraine 028 7032 3232TueTue

Wed

02 Nov02 Nov03 Nov

20.0010.3010.00

Millennium Forum, Londonderry,Northern Ireland 028 7126 4455

Thu 04 Nov 19.30 Strule Arts Centre, Omagh 028 8224 7831Sat 06 Nov 19.30 Great Hall, Downpatrick, N. Ireland 028 44610747

Mon 08 Nov 19.30 Memorial Hall, Glamorgan 01446 738622Tue 09 Nov 19.30 Blake Theatre, Monmouth 01600 719401

Wed 10 Nov 19.30 Bacon Theatre, Cheltenham 01242 258002Thu 11 Nov 19.30 Cornerstone, Didcot 01235 515144Fri 12 Nov 19.45 Merlin Theatre, Frome 01373 465949

Mon-WedWed

15-17 Nov17 Nov

19.3014.30 Norwich Playhouse 01603 598598

Thu-FriFri

18-19 Nov19 Nov

19.3010.30 Palace Theatre, Southend 01702 351135

Mon 22 Nov 19.30 Theatre Royal Margate 01227 7877870845 1301786

TueWed

23 Nov24 Nov

19.3013.30 Woodville Halls, Gravesend, Kent 01474 337774

Fri-Sat 26-27 Nov 19.30 Lakeside Arts Centre, Nottingham 0115 8467777Mon-Tue 29-30 Nov 19.30 The Arts Centre, Swindon 01793 614837

Thu-Fri 02-03 Dec 19.30 Uppingham Theatre 01572 820820Tue-Wed 07-08 Dec 19.30 Jersey Arts Centre 01534 700444Tues-Sat

Thur01-05 Feb

03 Feb 19.3014.00 Harrogate Theatre, Yorkshire 01423 502116

Mon 07 Feb 19.30 Loughborough Town Hall 01509 231914Tue 08 Feb 19.30 Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury 01684 295 074

Wed-Thu 09-10 Feb 19.30 Octagon Theatre, Yeovil 01935 422884Sat 12 Feb 19.45 Theatr Hafren,

Newtown, Wales 01686 625007Tue-Wed

Wed15-16 Feb

16 Feb 19.3013.30 New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth 02392 649000

Fri-Sat 18-19 Feb 19.30 Riverbank Theatre,Co. Kildare, Ireland

+353 (0)45 448 327

Tue 22 Feb 10.0014.30

Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda, Ireland

+353 (0)41 983 3946

WedThu

23 Feb24 Feb

19.3010.00

Market Place Theatre, Armagh, N. Ireland 028 3752 1821

Fri 25 Feb 19.30 The Maltings Theatre,Berwick-upon-Tweed 01289 330999

Mon-Tue 28 Feb- 19.30 Middlesbrough Theatre 01642 815181

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Tue 01 Mar 13.30Wed-Thu 02-03Mar 19.30 Barnsley Civic 0845 1800363

Fri-SatSat

04-05 Mar05 Mar

19.3013.30 Northcott Theatre, Exeter 01392 493493

Mon-Tue 07-08 Mar 19.30 Mumford Theatre, Cambridge 01223 352932Wed 09 Mar 19.30 Hertford Theatre 01992 531500Thu 10 Mar 19.30 Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton 01902 321321Fri 11 Mar 19.30 Terry O'Toole Theatre,

North Hykeham, Lincolnshire 01522 883311Sat 12 Mar 19.30 The Junction, Goole 01405 763652Tue 15 Mar 19.30 Darlington Arts Centre 01325 486555

Wed 16 Mar 19.30 Customs House, Tyne & Wear 0191 4541234Fri 18 Mar 13.30

19.30 South Holland Centre, Spalding 01775 764777Mon-Tue

Tue21-22 Mar

22 Mar 19.3013.30 The Hexagon, Reading 01189 606060

Wed-Sat 23-26 Mar 19.45 Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford (TBC) 01483 440000Mon-Wed 28-30 Mar 19.30 Theatre Royal Winchester 01962 840440

Fri-SatSat

01-02 Apr02 Apr

19.3013.30 Connaught Theatre, Worthing 01592 583302

Mon-WedWed

04-06 Apr06 Apr

19.3014.00 Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury 01743 281281

Thu 07 Apr 19.30 Rhyl Pavilion Theatre 01745 330000Tue-Wed

Wed 26-27 Apr

27 Apr19.3013.30

Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy, Scotland 01592 583302

Thu-Fri 28-29 Apr 19.30 Stanwix Art Theatre, Carlisle 01228 400300Tue-Sat

Wed&Sat03-07 May

04&07 May 19.3013.30 The Lighthouse, Poole 08444 068666

Tue-ThuWed

10-12 May11 May

19.3014.30 Oldham Coliseum Theatre 0161 6242829

Fri-SatSat

13-14 May14 May 19.30 Key Theatre, Peterborough 01733 207239

For interviews, images, tickets and/or further information, please contact Louise at Icarus Theatre Collective on telephone 0207 998 1562, or by email on louise@icarustheatre.co.uk

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William Shakespeare’s

Hamlet

Cast

Hamlet: Giles RobertsOphelia: Loren O’DairClaudius: John Paton

Gertrude: Julia MonrowPolonius: John Eastman

Laertes: Nick HolbekRosencrantz: Tobias DeaconGuildenstern: Omar Ibrahim

Horatio: Dani McCallum

Creative Team

Director: Max LewendelAssistant Director: Bethany Pitts

Movement Director: Caroline MuellerFight Director: Ronin Traynor

Production Manager: Caroline SaundersAssistant Producer: Louise Ody

Logistics Manager: Margaret Houston

Set Design: Christopher HoneCostume Design: Katharine Heath

LX Designer: Oliver WelshSound Design: Theo Holloway

Stage Manager: Jules RichardsonRehearsal ASM: Alison Saunders

Graphic Design: Margarita Pokhrel

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Some things one might wish to know:

1) The Artistic Team is adding an educational component to Hamlet. Workshops are offered for children from secondary school through to Sixth Form College.

We offer the following with each of our 90 minute Hamlet workshops:

Building a Shakespearean Character: To Be or Not To Be

Physicality, Etiquette and Gender: Get Thee to a Nunnery

Trippingly on the Tongue: Shakespearean Verse in Performance

Shakespeare the Icarus way: Hamlet and the Chorus

An opportunity to work with a professional workshop facilitator and a professional actor from our cast or two professional facilitators (subject to performance schedules

· We can work with up to 30 students per workshop, ensuring that each student has the opportunity to really get involved.

· A comprehensive education pack, ideal for further work with youstudents

· We will be working with schools to put together the best workshop for their students’ age and abilities. Using a specific scene or even another Shakespearean text, our workshops are tailored accordingly.

 Workshop Price: £275 +VAT

Two Workshops: £500 + VAT

For further information please contact: education@icarustheatre.co.uk or 0207 998 1562

Target Audiences: Mainstream Theatre Audiences School and College Students Drama and Theatre Students

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Biographies:

Bethany Pitts- Assistant Director

Bethany has been part of Icarus Theatre Collective since 2008 when she was Assistant Director on their production of The Time of Your Life at the Finborough Theatre. She has since become Resident Assistant Director of the company, assisting on Vincent in Brixton, Othello and now Hamlet. In addition to this, she has helped set up and now manages the growing Icarus Education Programme, designing and facilitating workshops alongside Icarus’ productions.

Bethany also works freelance as a director and workshop leader, for companies such as Old Vic New Voices, Theatre Royal Haymarket and the V & A Theatre and Performance Department. Her most recent work includes Unseen (V&A Spiral Booths Exhibition) and Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down (White Bear Theatre).

Max Lewendel – Director/Producer

In 2004 Max Lewendel founded The Icarus Theatre Collective (www.icarustheatre.co.uk) where he directs most of their plays. The Finborough Theatre commissioned Max to direct James Graham’s Albert’s Boy (which won the Pearson Playwright Award) starring Tony Award winner Victor Spinetti. Max also directed Coyote Ugly (no relation to the film) and co-produced the British premiere of Frank McGuinness’ Gates of Gold for the Finborough, both Time Out Critics’ Choice. He is developing a World Premiere of Philip Ridley’s next play and directing two mid-scale tours in 2009: Othello & Nicholas Wright’s Vincent in Brixton. Last year Max directed an international tour of Ionesco's The Lesson which transferred to the Assembly Rooms, Old Red Lion Theatre, and Romania. He also co-directed Engage's production of Lost Children in September which tours East Anglia, Holland, and Kenya.

At Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois, Max completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Theatre Arts with an emphasis on directing and minors in French Language and Business Administration

Caroline Saunders- Production Manager

Caroline has worked with The Icarus Theatre Collective as Deputy Stage Manager for Time of Your Life at The Finborough Theatre and Assistant Stage Manager for Vincent in Brixton by Nicholas Wright on its national tour. She has recently worked as technician for Crack in the Wall, a devised piece by The Lab Theatre Collective and as part time Assistant Stage Manager for The Icarus Theatre Collective’s National tour of Othello in Autumn 2009. This year she has continued her association with The Icarus Theatre Collective working as Rehearsal Assistant Stage Manager with a National Tour of Journey’s End and Production Manager for Rip her to Shreds by Grant Corr which premiered at The Old Red Lion Theatre. She is very excited to be Production Manager for Hamlet: Prince of Denmark and is also Production Manager for The Icarus Theatre Collective’s co-production of The Madness of George III by Alan Bennett touring nationally this Autumn.

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Cast Biographies:

Giles Roberts- HamletGiles previously worked with Icarus Theatre on their 2008 production of Time of Your Life at the Finborough Theatre. Other stage credits include Bingo (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Suburbia (Southwark Playhouse), Macbeth (Broadway Theatre), Tranquil (Cockpit) and Romeo & Juliet (Cambridge Shakespeare Festival). TV and film includes Operation Paraquat (Channel Five) and The Boat That Rocked (Working Title). Giles trained at The Oxford School of Drama and more information can be found at www.giles-roberts.com

Loren O’Dair –OpheliaLoren trained at Ecole Jacques Lecoq, Paris. Theatre credits include Cocteau in the Underworld (Arcola/Linbury Studio), Before I Sleep (dreamthinkspeak/Brighton Festival), Othello (Icarus Theatre Collective UK tour), Ur-Hamlet (Odin Teatret/Grotowski Festival, Poland), The Trapeze Artist (Tara Arts), The Pleasure Project: Ariadne (Digame/CPT), Handbag and 26 (BAC), Cinderella (Lyric Hammersmith), The Boy Who Said Yes, Astayanax and Stabat Mater (Arcola), The Marriage Of Medea (Odin Teatret, Denmark), Briefing (Mercurial Productions/CPT), The Turn Of The Screw (Theatreworks national tour), The Red Death Lates (BAC/Gideon Reeling), Ripe And Rotten (Shunt/BAC), Blanche Neige (MAC/VAL, Paris) and The Fence (The Wrestling School/Birmingham Rep).

John Paton- ClaudiusJohn trained at East 15, graduating in 1996 with a Post Graduate Diploma. One of his very first jobs then was here at The Brockley Jack playing Judge Turpin in SWEENEY TODD for Mainbrace Theatre.

Screen credits include: Work for: BBC in CASUALTY, Video Arts, RDF Television, Maverick Media, Serious Pictures, De Warrenne Pictures and most recently on the big screen as Sir John Seymour in THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL for Sony Pictures and The Gasping Man in SWEENEY TODD for Dombey Street Productions directed by Tim Burton.

Theatre credits include: THE RIVALS for Bath Theatre Royal, DEVIL AT COVENTRY for Coventry Belgrade, THE CRUCIBLE for Watford Palace, PICKWICK PAPERS for Luton Library A CHRISTMAS CAROL for Darwen Library and CROAK, CROAK, CROAK for Bristol Old Vic Theatres; A MIDSUMMERS NIGHTS’ DREAM for Bard Unbound at Hampton Court Palace, LORNA for Tours de Force and a Timeout ‘critics choice’ run of MOUNTAIN LANGUAGE for In Tandem.

John is delighted to be involved for this, his first time working with Icarus Theatre Collective.

Julia Monrow- Gertrude Julia trained on scholarship at RADA and was Artistic Director of the award-winning MOMI Actors Company at the National Film Theatre. Directing credits include Game of Fools, Woe from Wit, Have the Men Had Enough?, The Needle’s Eye, Lickers And Kickers (Arts Council Award winner) for the Theatre of The Moving Image and Eisenstein In Action at the Riverside Studios. She also directed the Playback Impro show featured on LWT’s Night Life series. For the British Film Institute she has written Silent Women, News from No-Man’s Land, Black In The Frame ( BFI/ Tricycle)

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Theatre credits: Humble Boy (New Vic, Staffs) Absent (dreamthinkspeak at Royal Opera House), Life And Beth ( directed by Alan Ayckbourn for Stephen Joseph) Suspended Lives (Tara Arts) The Lesson (Icarus/ National Theatre of Romania), The Allotment (New Perspectives),The Seagull (Tabard), dreamthinkspeak’s Underground (Barbican, Brighton Theatre Royal),Where’s The Bear?(Northampton Theatre Royal), Precious Bane, (Bryony Lavery’s adaptation for Pentabus), Mutton ( Watford Palace), Breathing Space, (Toronto Festival) Table Manners ( Yeovil, Octagon), Picasso’s Women, (Ambassadors), Trojan Women (Drill Hall), Much Ado About Nothing (directed by Mark Rylance for LTI).

Film/TV: Sight Test (London Independent),Dear Anne Frank (Qualia), Queen Elizabeth II in Great Balls Of Fire (directed by Jim McBride) and Queen Elizabeth II in Love Again (directed by Susanna White for BBC),Mercy in Mankind ( BBC) and Lesley in Emmerdale ( Yorkshire TV)

Radio: Anna Polikovskaya in Letters from Chechnya ( BBC Radio 3)

John Eastman- PoloniusMost recently for Icarus: The Time of Your Life at the Finborough. John’s early work included Home and Away, and Police Rescue in Australia. After graduating from Central School of Speech and Drama with an M.A., he has appeared in both Daniel Keene’s Night, A Wall, Two Men (Brighton Festival) and Terminus, UK premiere at RADA for Jacaranda Theatre. An associate member of the Icarus Theatre, he featured in their critically acclaimed inaugural production of The Lesson, (Old Red Lion) which toured successfully to the Edinburgh Fringe, throughout the UK, and was recently awarded the Special Jury Prize at the Romanian Comedy Festival in Bucharest. He is also a commercial voiceover artist.

After having just spent a year as Co-ordinator of the Foundation Acting Course, at Arts Educational, London, he is happy to be performing once again.

Nick Holbek- LaertesNick is pleased to be returning with Icarus Theatre Collective for the 2nd time after last year’s successful tour of Othello where he played Roderigo. Playing Laertes is another step in the right direction, not only being part of Shakespeare’s greatest play, but also advancing his skills in stage combat and taking on more responsibilities as a company member. Nicks other credits, whilst training, include Sweeney in Sweeny Todd by Sondheim, directed by Ben de Wynter, Dr Schoning in Lulu by Frank Wedekind, directed by Stephen Simms, Aloysius in Don Juan in Soho, directed by John Adams, Richard II in Richard II by Shakespeare, directed by Louise Papillon. Charles Guiteau in Assassins by Sondheim, directed by Andy Crook. Nick takes inspiration from great actors like Ralf Feinnes, Kenneth Brannagh, Ian Mckellen and Alan Rickman, and is hoping that this is the start of a Shakespeare-filled, rewarding career.

Tobias Deacon- RosencrantzTobias trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Theatre experience includes: Coriolanus, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Love’s Labour’s Lost (OH Players), What Big Eyes You Have (Kerfuffle Productions), Wisdom of the Den (msft and The Oubliette), The Basement (Niclissa Productions), A Yorkshire Tragedy (Tough Theatre), Twelfth Night (Sell A Door), Antigone (Theatre Lab Company) and Macbeth/The Taming of the Shrew (Principal Theatre Company).

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Tobias represented Mountview in the Sam Wanamaker Festival 2009 at The Globe.

Omar Ibrahim-GuildensternTrained at Guildford School of Acting, Credits included The Cherry Orchard, The Comedy of Errors, Suburbia, The Kitchen and Serious Money. Theatre includes: The Time Of Your Life, Finborough Theatre. Unseen, V&A Museum. Make Me A Martyr(rehearsed reading), Finborough Theatre.Film includes: Lying Down, Fleeting Projects. In The Pipeline*, LonelyDuck Productions.Radio includes: Kafka Thinking Stations, The Lab Theatre Collective. BBCCarleton Hobbs Finalist 2008. Writing includes the play 'I Have APenis'*and Comedy Series'In The Pipeline' as well as Stand Up and Sketch Comedy.

Dani McCallum-HoratioDani trained at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School where she won The Newton Blick Best Actor Award and represented the school at Carleton Hobbs 2008 for the BBC. Credits include Portia in Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare at The Tobacco Factory), Julia in The Two Gentlemen Of Verona and The Taming Of The Shrew (The Guildford Shakespeare Company), U/S Title role in Hedda Gabler (Bath Theatre Royal), Frieda Joubert in Statements After An Arrest Under The Immortality Act, The Blue Room, and Sky Sports Premiere Season Football advert 2009. Dani is half way through a two year apprenticeship with the Academy of Performance Combat, training to be a fully qualified stage combat teacher.

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PAST WORK

Journey’s End by R.C SherriffA co-production between Icarus Theatre Collective and

Original Theatre Company (2010)

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‘Each and every performance is consummately delivered… this is a

profound piece of theatre that highlights the heroism, humour and tragedy of

warfare’

‘Strong and deeply moving… in Alistair Whatley's fine production there are outstandingly subtle,

heartfelt performances’

Joyce MacMillan, Scotsman

‘Alastair Whatley taps into the playwright’s rhythms

straightaway. He is blessed with a sterling ensemble’

Donald Hutera, The Times

Vincent in Brixton by Nicholas Wright

A co-production between Icarus Theatre Collective andOriginal Theatre Company (2009)

"Brooding, malevolent, marvelous and magnificent...it is a work of art" -Paul Thomas, Bucks Free Press

"It is rare to come across a show with such artistry, intelligence and talent and for that reason this is a must-see show. So far this is

the play of the year and if patrons see nothing else this year, this is the show they

need to see."-Paul Bowers, Farnham Herald

This play is a must-see -Anya Hastwell, Remote Goat

     

The Lesson by Eugène

Ionesco

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The Icarus Theatre Collective in association with South Hill Park Arts Centre

Directed By Max Lewendel

International Tour12 April 2007 - 07 April 2008

"Directed so specifically that the beast of chaos that charges through Ionesco's work like his own rhinoceros is safely routed through the

play." -Rebecca Banks, Ham & High

The Times

Won Special Jury Prize in RomaniaBest Actress in a Leading Role – Amy Loughton

in Romania

or better in 15 out of 17 reviews

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Othello by William ShakespeareThe Icarus Theatre Collective and The Original Theatre Company, in

association with the South Hill Park Arts Centre

Directed by Max Lewendel

“Completely encapsulated, the audience, along with Othello, did indeed “lay down and roar’” for the tragedy of the

deception. Both as actors and musicians, the level of talent was astounding.”

Alice Williams, The York Press

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“This is a performance with music but not at all a musical. The strings catch the musicality of the text, although not every time an actor speaks. Turmoil and anxiety are heightened, passion brushed and coloured with a moment of melody. Then, when there is heightened dramatic tension, the instruments strike emphatic chords.”

Kevin Berry, The Stage

“Othello was a dramatic and spectacular show presented by Icarus Theatre Collective, Original Theatre Company and South Hill Park Arts Centre.”

Sonia Kapur, The Maidenhead Advertiser