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Full casting is
announced for the World Premiere of Sleeping Beauty
 THE
full casting has been announced for the World Premiere of
Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty, which runs at the Liverpool Empire
from Tuesday, 30 April, until Saturday, 4 May 2013.
Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty sees the choreographer return to
the music of Tchaikovsky to complete the trio of the composer's
ballet masterworks that started in 1992 with Nutcracker! And, most
famously, in 1995, with the international hit Swan Lake.
Matthew Bourne's new scenario introduces several characters not seen
in Petipa's famous Ballet or Grimm's fairy tale. The Royal Family is
headed by King Benedict and Queen Eleanor. Princess Aurora's
romantic interest is not a Prince, but the royal
gamekeeper, Leo. Representing the central forces of good and evil
are Count Lilac ("the King of the Fairies") and the
Dark Fairy Carabosse. In another innovation, Bourne has created the
character of Caradoc, the sinister but charming son of Carabosse.
Princess Aurora's Fairy Godparents are named Ardor, Hiberna,
Autumnus, Feral and Tantrum.
Creating the central role of 'Aurora' in this new
production are Hannah Vassallo and Ashley Shaw. Hannah co-created
the role of 'Kim' in New Adventures' Edward
Scissorhands, and has played leading roles in The Car Man,
Nutcracker! and Play Without Words. She also played 'Baby'
in the West End production of Dirty Dancing for over two years.
Ashley made her debut with New Adventures in Swan Lake in 2009 and
has since played the title role in Matthew Bourne's Cinderella and
'Sugar' in Nutcracker!
The leading role of 'Leo' will be created by Dominic
North and Christopher Trenfield. Dominic holds the distinction of
appearing in more New Adventures productions than any other dancer
(Sleeping Beauty will be his 9th production with Matthew Bourne) and
was most recently seen in the 25th Anniversary Triple Bill, Early
Adventures. He was also nominated as "Outstanding Male Dancer"
at The National Dance Awards for his performance as Edward
Scissorhands. Christopher has this year been seen as 'Tony'
in Play Without Words and in the title role in Nutcracker!
He has also played 'The Swan/Stranger' in Bourne's
Swan Lake.
'Count Lilac' will be portrayed by one of New Adventures'
most accomplished performers Christopher Marney, and in his
debut in a leading role for New Adventures, Liam Mower. Christopher
was most recently seen in the highly successful Triple Bill, Early
Adventures. He created the role of 'Cyril Vane' in
Dorian Gray, has played 'The Prince' in Swan Lake and
had a big personal success as 'The Angel' in Bourne's
Cinderella in 2010. Liam Mower is the Olivier Award-winning original
star of the West End hit Billy Elliott. Joining New Adventures in
2011 upon graduation from The Rambert School to appear in
Nutcracker!, he has also recently appeared in Play Without Words.
The twin roles of 'Carabosse' and 'Caradoc'
will be shared between 3 versatile New Adventures performers; Ben
Bunce (Swan Lake), Tom Jackson Greaves (Cinderella, Nutcracker!,
Early Adventures) and Adam Maskell (Dorian Gray, Nutcracker! (title
role), 'Tony' in Play Without Words and 'The
Angel' in Cinderella).
'King Benedict' will be played by Edwin Ray (Swan Lake,
'The Pilot' in Cinderella and Nutcracker! (title role) and
'Queen Eleanor' by one of New Adventures' most loved leading
ladies, Kerry Biggin (leading roles in Edward Scissorhands,
Nutcracker!, The Car Man, Swan Lake, Highland Fling and most
recently, Early Adventures) and Daisy May Kemp (Swan Lake,
Nutcracker! and Play Without Words).
Completing the Sleeping Beauty Company are Daniel Collins, Pia
Driver, Phil Jack Gardner, Sophia Hurdley, Nicole Kabera, Mari
Kamata, Katy Lowenhoff, Kate Lyons, Leon Moran, Luke Murphy, Danny
Reubens and Joe Walkling.
Perrault's timeless fairy tale, about a young girl cursed to sleep
for 1 hundred years, was turned into a legendary ballet by
Tchaikovsky and choreographer, Marius Petipa, in 1890. Bourne takes
this date as his starting point, setting the Christening of Aurora,
the story's heroine, in the year of the ballet's first performance;
the height of the Fin-de-Siecle period when fairies, vampires and
decadent opulence fed the gothic imagination. As Aurora grows into a
young woman, we move forwards in time to the more rigid, uptight
Edwardian era; a mythical golden age of long Summer afternoons,
croquet on the lawn and new dance crazes. Years later, awakening
from her century long slumber, Aurora finds herself in the modern
day; a world more mysterious and wonderful than any Fairy story!
Matthew Bourne's haunting new scenario is a gothic tale for all
ages; the traditional tale of good vs. evil and rebirth is turned
upside-down, creating a supernatural love story, across the decades,
that even the passage of time itself cannot hinder.
Britain's most popular dance showman works again with 3 of his
regular collaborators and New Adventures Associate Artists; The Tony
and Olivier Award-winning designers Lez Brotherston (Set and
Costumes), Paule Constable (Lighting) and Paul Groothuis (Sound
Design) who created the acclaimed surround-sound for last years hit
production of Cinderella. For tickets and more information,
please visit Liverpool Empire Box Office, call:- 07841 871 3017 or
go to:-
atgtickets.com.
MAN ARRESTED OVER EVESHAM KNIFE
ASSAULT
A man who detectives wish to question in
relation to a serious knife assault in Evesham last month was
arrested on Wednesday, 23 January 2012. The alleged assault took
place at 11.25pm, on Wednesday, 19 December 2012, Police were called
to Chancers in Vine Street after a member of staff was assaulted by
a man armed with a knife. He received a serious wound to his hand
and forearm. West Mercia Police released an appeal to trace Peter
O'Shaughnessy, who they want to question about the assault.
O'Shaughnessy is 31, from the Halewood area of Liverpool, and also
goes by the name of Pierre. Following intelligence received by
Police, he was arrested by officers from Merseyside Police at an
address in Halewood at 11am. O'Shaughnessy has been passed into the
custody of Cheshire Constabulary, who wish to interview him about an
offence in their area; in November 2012, after a man was robbed of
his car at knifepoint. He will then be passed into the custody of
West Mercia Police, in due course. |
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SOUTHPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL
SET TO RETURN FOR A 13TH YEAR AND A BRAND NEW HOME
THE Atkinson, Southport's state-of-the-art new
venue has announced it will be home to the 13th annual Southport
Jazz Festival, which will run from Friday, 10 May 2013 to Sunday, 12
May 2013.
The festival has firmly established itself as one of the regions
premiere music events and will feature a whole host of
internationally acclaimed artists from the world of Jazz. The
line-up includes James Morton's Pork Chop, James Morrison with the
Swingshift Big Band, MOBO Award winners Kairos 4Tet, Joe Stilgoe
Trio and up and coming talent including Go Go Penguin.
Southport Jazz festival is to be one of the first events to be
hosted at the brand new Atkinson venue, a cultural jewel in the
crown of the seaside resort. It is a long-awaited £17 million
development of the old Southport Arts Centre, Atkinson Art Gallery,
Botanic Gardens Museum and the central Library and is due to open
early May 2013. Emma Lloyd, Marketing, Programme and Visitor
Services Manager said:- "The 2013 Southport Jazz Festival is
different to the past events, as this year there are headlining jazz
gigs taking place throughout the 3 days so we are able to offer a
range of weekend, day and session tickets to encourage people to
stay in the town that little bit longer. We have worked really hard
to ensure that the programme is diverse and has something for
everyone, from the contemporary to the big band jazz, from the
well-established names to the new soon-to-be stars of the jazz
circuit. This year we are delighted that CAMRA have come on board to
run a beer festival as part of the festival; we know this will add
to the festivities."
The full programme of events will see performances from theworld of
Jazz playing throughout the day and night at The Atkinson, it all
kicks off on the Friday with Sheffield-born vocalist from the Nicola
Farnon Quartet, who the legendary late Humphrey Lyttleton described
as:- "A class act who should be on every jazz festival in the
land...a sure fire hit!"
The Al Wood Nine take over early evening with selection of bebop and
swing from the multi-talented group and will perform some special
arrangements as well as their classic set. Friday evening will also
feature charismatic altoist James Morton leading his band Porkchop
through a collection of funk, soul jazz and gospel sound.
Go-Go Penguin makes their return to the SJF to start Saturday's
proceedings, following their huge success at last year's festival.
They are one of the most exciting contemporary instrumental groups
working today. Saturday will also feature The Bateman Brothers Jazz
Band, an all-star group comprising of Alan Bateman (trumpet/vocals),
Ian Bateman (trombone), Trevor Whiting (clarinet), Craig Milverton
(piano), John Day (Bass), Steve Rushton (Drums) and Maggie Reeday
(vocals). Their special guests for the Festival are Enrico Tommasso
and Spats Langham. Also part of Saturday's big line-up is Gabby
Young and Other Animals. The 7-piece band, are the ringmasters of
Circus Swing, a musical genre that fuses Swing Jazz, Eastern
European beats and English Folk created with horn, wind and
percussion instruments. Closing Saturday is Sector 7, made up of
seven talented musicians, amongst them, award-winning vocalist Sarah
Ellen Hughes. Having only being on the jazz scene for 2 years they
have already taken the musical world by storm, recording and
releasing their EP, gaining critical acclaim, and being invited to
perform at prestigious events and festivals across Europe.
Sunday starts in great style, music and film lovers of all ages will
enjoy Terry Seabrook's band Milestones performing a new film score
at this year's festival. Inspired by the Miles Davis soundtrack Lift
to the Scaffold, Seabrook has written his own full-length jazz
soundtrack, for Buster Keaton's 1924 film Sherlock Jr. Milestones
will perform live as the film is screened. Making their first
appearance at the Southport Jazz festival are the award-winning
Kairos 4Tet, a band born out of a desire to explore times past,
present and future via music. Winners of 2011's MOBO award for
'Best Jazz Act', they make a welcome addition to Sunday's
line-up. The chart topping sensation the Joe Stilgoe Trio take the
festival into Sunday evening, as one of the world's finest
singer-pianists Stilgoe released his critically acclaimed second
album 'We Look to The Stars' last year. Closing the
festival is Australian musical virtuoso James Morrison, besides the
trumpet, this multi-instrumentalist also plays trombone, euphonium,
flugelhorn, tuba, saxophone and piano. Morrison has performed gigs
in the world's most famous jazz clubs, been commanded by royalty and
political leaders, and has been awarded The Order of Australia for
his services to the arts. James will perform with the Swingshift Big
Band for the festival finale.
CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) will be running a beer festival
alongside the 3 day jazz event, showcasing a selection of real ales
and perrys for the public to sample.
The Southport Jazz Festival for 2013 encompasses The Atkinson -
Headline Gigs, The Jazz Festival Village at the Town Hall Gardens
and The Fringe Festival across the town.
Follow all the latest festival news on the Southport Jazz Festival
on twitter #southportjazz and facebook/The Atkinson Day and Weekend
Festival Tickets are now on sale. Call:- 01704 533 333 * or go
online at:-
seftonarts.co.uk* for more
information and to buy tickets.
*Subject to booking fee.
Southport Jazz Festival
Event Times:-
Friday, 10 May 2013
The Nicola Farnon Quartet - 2.30pm
The Al Wood Nine - 7pm
James Morton's Porkchop - 10pm
Saturday, 11 May 2013
Go Go Penguin - 11am
The Bateman Bothers Jazz Band - 2.30pm
Gabby Young and the Other Animals - 7pm
Sector 7 - 10pm
Sunday, 12 May 2013
Milestones Play to the Silent Screen - 11am
Kairos 4tet - 2.30pm
Joe Stilgoe Trio - 5pm
James Morrison with Swingshift Big Bang - 8pm
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