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The mbers
of
Mar
Frie lowe
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The magazine of The Marlowe Friends
Issue 15 Summer 2016
Claire Sweeney
Having fun as
Hairspray’s villainess
Phil Gallagher
Our pantomime
favourite answers our
quickfire questionnaire
Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang
We talk to its star Lee Mead
A Better Woman
A look at our home–grown
production • P14
The Lamellar
Project
A Marlowe Studio show
with local connections • P22
War Horse
The theatrical phenomenon
heads to Canterbury
• P6
Contents
Spotlight Issue 15 Summer 2016
Contributor Kate Evans
Editor Sarah Munday
Design Cog Design
Photography Tim Stubbings timstubbings.co.uk
News and tweets ISSN 2046–4703 (print)
ISSN 2046–4711 (online)
4
The Marlowe Theatre
The Friars, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2AS
War Horse 6
The National Theatre production comes
to Canterbury
Stacked Follow us on Twitter @marlowetheatre
marlowetheatre.com
9
Write to us with your comments at
[email protected]
10
Welcome
A sneak preview of this year’s community
production
Lee Mead We talk to the star of Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang
Canterbury connections 13
The origins of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
A Better Woman 14
p6
A look back at our home-grown production
Claire Sweeney p10
16
On touring with Hairspray
Youth theatre 19
The latest from our youth theatre
Music at The Marlowe 20
It’s not all drama...
The Lamellar Project An unusual offering in The Marlowe Studio
24
Talks and tours 25
Friends Committee Events 26
Discounts for The Marlowe Friends 27
Pantomime is a hugely
important part of our
year, and we’re already
working on making this
year’s even better.
p14
2
Spotlight Summer 2016
Our new year got off to a cracking
start with the news that we will
launch the national tour of War Horse
next year, which is a great honour for
us. There’s more about that in this
magazine, including some production
photos to whet your appetite.
As it’s the first Spotlight of the new
year, it also feels right to look back at
the great success of our pantomime,
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs,
which broke all Box Office records,
as well as receiving critical acclaim.
We sold more than 99% of seats
for the run, an amazing
achievement.
22
Ten Questions: Phil Gallagher I am aware as I write this that I am
addressing a bigger group of people
than ever before. The Marlowe
Friends now number almost 14,000
people - and I hope there will be
many more.
p20
Mark Everett
Theatre Director
Summer 2016 Spotlight
3
News and tweets
Panto stars name seat
This year’s pantomime
was a record breaker.
Snow White And
The Seven Dwarfs
was seen by 95,685
people, breaking the
previous record of just
over 90,000.
Three of the stars had
such a good time they
decided to name a seat
in the auditorium to
mark the experience.
Seat three in row J of the
Stalls is now dedicated to
‘The Three Amigos’: Lloyd
Hollett, Ben Roddy and
Phil Gallagher (below).
Lloyd says: “We were sat
in the stalls doing notes
and we just thought what
a great idea it would be.
Me, Ben and Phil have so
enjoyed working together
for the last three years
and it was the perfect
way to remember this.”
Wine and dine
Guardian Angel
We are now proud to offer a
full selection of Kentish drinks
in our Green Room restaurant.
As well as wines (four whites,
two reds, two rosés and four
sparkling) from well-known
local wine producers like
Biddenden Vineyards and
Chapel Down, there’ll also be
soft drinks, beers, ciders and
spirits – including a choice of
three different types of gin!
The three are especially
pleased that their seat is
near to the one dedicated
to late pantomime legend
Dave Lee.
Shows at The Marlowe Theatre
during February were sponsored
by local firm Right Guard
Security, who’d already helped us
out by providing security guards
to look after our pantomime cast
at Christmas light switch-ons and
other big events.
Half-term fun
Where can you find three little
pigs, pesky pirates and a large
blue furry monster? At The
Marlowe Theatre during the
Canterbury Children’s Festival,
which returns this June, just in
time to help keep your children
occupied during half-term. As
well as shows in the studio,
there’ll be free activities in the
theatre foyer. If you’re lucky,
you might spot Big Blue, our
friendly monster mascot.
Managing Director Tony Smith
says: “Right Guard Security is
based in Canterbury and we
feel that The Marlowe is a
wonderful entertainment hub
that should be supported in every
way possible. The diversity of
the shows and performances are
so vast we are extremely proud
to help the theatre in raising the
curtain for 2016.”
Friendship’s reward
Thanks to money raised by The Marlowe Friends, we save £1,400
every time we host an orchestral concert. The money enabled us to
buy chairs for the orchestra, rather than hiring them in.
Our WINTER in tweets
Donna Rees @MrsDandy
Thank you @marlowetheatre
for another fab relaxed
performance of panto, cast &
crew were great! So lovely the
kids could just be themselves.
Michelle Emery @
MichelleJEmery
Yay! Tickets for Midsummer
Night’s Dream have arrived!
Thank you @marlowetheatre.
We’re really looking forward
to it.
4
Spotlight Summer 2016
Emma Harris (cast
member with Anton &
Erin: Just Gotta Dance)
@Emsharris
What a delightful
audience
@marlowetheatre!!!
Yes Canterbury. Loving
you! #JustGottaDance
Jill Reeve @JillReeve
Glenn Miller Story fantastic!!
Tommy Steele – Legend!!!
Keith Mander @keithmander
Amazing playing of
Mozart & Mahler from
@philharmonia and Lahav
Shani @marlowetheatre
tonight. Energising and
exhilarating. Thank you.
Kelly Andrews
@Kelly_S_Andrews
Lovely afternoon @
marlowetheatre. A Better
Woman is a smashing new play
with terrific performances.
Well done, everyone!
Maz O’Connor (singersongwriter who played
in the studio in January)
@MazOConnor
Well Canterbury’s lovely
innit.
Theatre’s not so bad
either.
Ben Carruthers (Prince
Charming in Snow White
And The Seven Dwarfs)
@BenCarruthers14
And that’s it…Panto is
finished for this year and
it’s been one of the best
experiences of my life,
met some truly amazing
people!!
Summer 2016 Spotlight
5
War Horse
war
horse
comes to
Canterbury
This is a huge
honour for
us all at The
Marlowe Theatre,
Canterbury
and Kent
H
e’s saluted the Queen as part of
her Diamond Jubilee, recently
met the Chancellor, and
thrilled audiences all over the world
Now, Joey the War Horse is coming
to The Marlowe Theatre, when the
new tour of the National Theatre’s
much-loved production opens here
in 2017. A visit from a show like War
Horse would always be exciting, but
being the theatre to launch the tour
is extra special.
Theatre Director Mark Everett says:
“This is a huge honour for us all at
The Marlowe, Canterbury and
Kent. Because the tour starts at The
Marlowe, it will also be rehearsed here,
which adds a whole new dimension
as most shows we present are made
elsewhere.”
But why us? Since the new theatre
opened, we’ve played host to several
National Theatre productions,
including One Man, Two Guvnors and
The Curious Incident Of The Dog In
The Night-Time. Mark believes it’s the
success of these visits that have led
to this: “Attracting National Theatre
productions was one of our key
ambitions when the new Marlowe
Theatre was being planned and built.
I am absolutely delighted that we have
managed to secure War Horse for our
audiences. This stunning and groundbreaking production really is the icing
on the cake.”
Spotlight’s Kate Evans takes a look
at the acclaimed production and
why we were chosen to launch its
UK tour.
6
Spotlight Summer 2016
Summer 2016 Spotlight
7
War Horse
The Marlowe community project
All Stacking Up
We look ahead to The Marlowe’s
next community project.
Trenches
tale: Some
scenes from
War Horse
First staged at the National Theatre
in 2007, War Horse uses puppets
created by the South African company
Handspring to dramatize Michael
Morpurgo’s story about farmer’s son
Albert and his horse Joey, set against
the backdrop of the horrors of the
First World War. Michael has said
that he had always believed that,
“the epic nature of War Horse would
be impossible and impracticable to
stage.” When the idea for the current
production was first suggested to him,
he wasn’t sure if the life-sized horse
puppets would work or not, but the
National Theatre were able to convince
him that, “this might just be something
ground-breaking.”
That instinct was right. War Horse
has since been seen by seven million
people in 97 cities across ten countries,
including an eight-year run in London’s
West End. There’s even a Chineselanguage version, which opened earlier
8
Spotlight Summer 2016
this year. The production has won 25
awards, including a Tony for Best Play
on Broadway. It’s the most successful
play in the National Theatre’s history.
Of the tour, Michael says: “After a
few months rest, out to pasture, Joey
and his great team from the National
Theatre will be touring the UK, taking
their show to places War Horse has not
been seen before. I am particularly
pleased it’s starting in Canterbury, at
The Marlowe Theatre, because I grew
up in Canterbury, went to school there,
and my parents, who were both actors,
fell in love at The Marlowe. I am so
pleased this tour is happening; that so
many more people will have the chance
to enjoy this unique theatrical event.
Steady boy, steady Joey. Trot on!”
We’ll bring you more from Michael –
and Joey – in future editions of Spotlight.
War Horse: Friday 15 September to
Saturday 14 October 2017
Michael Morpurgo:
Biography
The man who created War
Horse was born in 1943 in
St Albans, and attended
the King’s School here in
Canterbury.
T
he annual Marlowe Theatre
community project – featuring
members of our Youth Theatre
and People’s Company – has become
an important part of our year. And this
time round it’s going to be bigger than
ever, as the production moves out of its
previous home in The Marlowe Studio,
and into the main auditorium.
After university, his
Canterbury connections
continued – he taught
at a primary school in
Wickhambreaux, just
outside the city. It was here,
Morpurgo said later, “where
I became a storyteller
myself, dreaming up my
tales as I went along.” His
pupils’ positive reaction to
his stories encouraged him
to become a writer.
Stacked is a modern-day response to
Chaucer’s famous Canterbury Tales in
which a group of pilgrims en route to
the tomb of Becket in Canterbury tell
stories to entertain each other. In our
version, the storytellers are a group of
people stranded in Canterbury because
of gridlock caused by Operation Stack,
telling their tales to others in the
Canterbury Tales pub.
As is clear from the subtitle, music
is going to be a huge part of this
production, giving a showcase for local
musical talent.
Last year’s community production,
The Rights Of Others, featured 240
people, aged from two to 76 years old,
and this year’s cast will be every bit
as large and diverse. We’re promised
they’ll be bringing us a heady mixture
of humour, mayhem and mischief!
Stacked: Tuesday 12 to Thursday 14 July
His first book It Never
Rained: Five Stories was
published in 1974. His most
recent book was An Eagle In
The Snow, published
last October.
Michael was involved in
the creation of the post of
Children’s Laureate. He also
became the third holder
of that office, from 2003
to 2005.
Michael now lives in Devon.
As well as continuing to
write, he and his wife
Claire remain involved
with the charity Farms For
City Children, which they
founded in 1976.
Past performance:
A scene from last years
community production
The Rights of Others.
Summer 2016 Spotlight
9
CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG
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Spotlight’s
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Lee Mead
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Kate Ev
L
ee Mead called me for this
interview from his dressing
room at the Birmingham
Hippodrome, where he was in
the last days of a six-week run
in the title role of pantomime
Aladdin. Most performers would
be exhausted and contemplating
nothing more than a holiday, but
Lee is already enthusiastically
looking forward to Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang: “I can’t wait to get
started. The call came in from
my agent with the offer last
September, and it didn’t take me
long to say yes. It’s a great family
show, a really iconic show. It’s got
great music, great songs and great
characters and its got real heart to
it, a real soul. Obviously the wow
factor is the flying car, that’s such
an important part of the show,
but for me the main feature of
the show is this guy with two
kids and that story, and the
relationship he has with them,
and I can really relate to that,
being a dad myself now.”
10
Spotlight Summer 2016
Fatherhood is
I’ve got my album
clearly a massive
coming out [Some
part of Lee’s life. He
Enchanted Evening,
describes five-yearhis fourth album,
I can’t wait to
old Betsy as his ‘top
released in February],
priority’ in life, and
get started. It’s and concerts for that,
she crops up a lot
I’d planned to have a
a great family
in his conversation.
quieter year this year.
show, a really
Betsy lives in Kent
But then this offer
iconic show
with her mother,
came in, and it just
Lee’s ex-wife, TV
felt right.
presenter Denise Van Outen. Lee’s
And it’s not too long a tour, so
hoping she will get to see him
I’m not away from my daughter
perform in Chitty on stage as she
for too long.”
saw the film for the first time last
It’s a role he’s been waiting to
year, replicating a Mead family
play for a long time: “I actually
tradition, as Lee remembers
auditioned for the original
watching it “every year” as a child. production at the Palladium,
The part of Caractacus, the
when I was 19, when Michael Ball
inventor (and single dad) who builds was playing the role. I auditioned
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, was one
to be his second cover, but one of
Lee couldn’t resist, despite having
the things about being a cover for
made other plans: “Sometimes
a lead role is usually they need the
roles come up at a point in your life cover to be in the dance ensemble,
where I believe they’re meant to
and I’m not really a dancer. I
happen, and this was one of them. wasn’t the strongest dancer then
I’ve been filming Casualty in Cardiff – and I’m still not now – so I didn’t
for a few years now, and before the
get the job. So, for me to be able to
offer for Chitty came up, I’d decided play the part in my own right, 15
to take a year off, and go home
years on, it’s a huge thing for me.
and do the school runs. Although
I’m really excited!”
Summer 2016 Spotlight
11
chitty chitty bang bang
Lee came to
much it would cost.
performing relatively
Most people come
late: growing up in
away from that with
Southend, Essex,
60 grands worth of
Everyday I
(where he’s just
debt. So I started at
feel lucky
bought a new home)
the bottom and did it
he “wanted to be a
that I had that the hard way.”
footballer, but I was
Lee had worked
break, that
terrible!” He did his
his way into minor
opportunity.
first show aged 17,
roles in the West
having joined a local
End when in 2007
amateur group, “mainly to
a TV show called Any Dream
meet girls”.
Will Do catapulted him to public
When he did decide on a career
notice. The show was a contest
as a performer, Lee had to work
to find a star for a new West
his way up: “I got my first job on
End production of the Andrew
a P&O car ferry, as a singer, on
Lloyd Webber musical Joseph – a
about £150 a week. I had a tiny
contest that Lee won: “I still have
cabin, and I used to clean my
fond memories of it. Everyday I
own costumes after the show.
feel lucky that I had that break,
I wanted to go to RADA, but if
that opportunity. I was working
you’re a working-class lad from
for over five years, in choruses
Southend, ten grand a year just
and so on, and then fortunately
for the fees isn’t possible. My dad
I got my break. And it really
just laughed when I told him how
helped my career and put me
Chitty: Flying
into Canterbury
12
Spotlight Summer 2016
CANTERBURY CONNECTIONS
on a platform, and gave me that
profile, to show what I can do.
I’ve been really lucky that since
that show I’ve got to do lots of
things that I perhaps wouldn’t
have had the chance to do
without that kind of exposure. My
talent didn’t change, but being on
telly and having that profile has
brought me opportunities.”
Perhaps it’s this sense of
having been lucky that keeps Lee
grounded and enthusiastic about
his work – even when interviews
like this one take up most of his
break on a two-show day. As our
conversation ends, he urges me
to come and say hello in person
when he arrives in Canterbury,
before heading off to get ready for
his next performance.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang:
Wednesday 24 August to Saturday
3 September
Chitty Chitty Bang
Bang: the film
Loosely adapted from
Ian Fleming’s novel, the
famous film was released
in 1968, and starred Dick
van Dyke as Caractacus
Potts. Its songs (including
the title number, which was
nominated for an Oscar)
were by the Sherman
Brothers, and its script was
co-written by children’s
author Roald Dahl. New
elements invented for the
movie include the famous
character of the Child
Catcher, who doesn’t appear
in the novel. The Child
Catcher was named as one
of the 50 ‘Most Vile Movie
Villains’ by Entertainment
Weekly in 2008.
Back with a
BanG!
When Chitty Chitty Bang
Bang flies into The Marlowe
this summer, she’ll be winging
her way home. Spotlight’s
Kate Evans looks at the
Canterbury connections of
the famous car.
Chitty
Commemorated:
The plaque in St
Radigunds
I
f you’ve ever walked down St
Radigund’s Street in central
Canterbury, you may have
noticed a blue plaque on the
disused building next to The
Dolphin pub. It says: ‘Count Louis
Zborowski constructed two Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang racing cars
here in the former Bligh Brothers
Coachworks 1921–1922’.
Count Zborowski was the son
of a Polish count and a wealthy
American mother, Margaret
Astor Carey. He inherited his
fortune – and Higham Park, a
large country house just outside
Canterbury – from her aged just
16, his father having already
died in a motor racing accident.
Despite this, Louis followed in
his footsteps.
He and his engineer designed
a series of cars, known as Chitty
Bang Bang 1–4 (The extra ‘Chitty’
was added by Ian Fleming when
he wrote the Chitty Chitty Bang
Bang novel), constructed around
aeroplane engines. The ‘Chitty
Bang Bang’ name is said to have
come from the noise made by
these engines (although an
alternative theory suggests
it comes from a rude saying
amongst soldiers during the First
World War). The noise of these
massive engines was so loud that
Canterbury Council reportedly
considered passing a by-law to ban
them from being driven within
the city.
Zborowski died aged just 29 in
a car crash while racing at Monza
in Italy – driving a Mercedes, not
one of his own cars. But the story
of Chitty didn’t end there, thanks
to Ian Fleming.
It’s thought a young Fleming
may actually have seen Zborowski
racing the first of the Chitty cars at
the Brooklands circuit in Surrey.
Certainly, he knew Zborowski’s
estate at Higham Park, which
eventually passed into the
hands of Walter Whigham, the
business partner of Fleming’s
grandfather Robert.
The novel Chitty Chitty Bang
Bang was written in 1961, when
Fleming was recovering from a
heart attack. The dedication read:
‘To the memory of the original
Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang, built in
1920 by Count Zborowksi.’
Summer 2016 Spotlight
13
A Better woman
Growing
Ambitions
We take a look back at The Marlowe Theatre’s
second home-grown production – and look
ahead to what comes next.
Photos by Mark Douet
I
14
Spotlight Summer 2016
n our last edition of Spotlight,
we brought you news of The
Marlowe Theatre’s latest inhouse production A Better Woman.
Usually in December our theatre is
entirely taken over by the glittering
world of pantomime, but in 2015,
we were able to offer our audiences
this very different production
as well.
Supported by both the Arts
Council and The Marlowe Theatre
Development Trust and running
in The Marlowe Studio, A Better
Woman, written by our Literary
Associate Simon Mendes da Costa
was a touching comedy about
dating in the internet age.
For the theatre team, overseeing
the production of a new play,
right here in Canterbury, was
an exciting experience. We were
involved in casting decisions,
rehearsals and designing the
artwork for the show. It felt like
a real achievement seeing a
production come to life that was
generally ‘Made In Canterbury’.
Happily, the production was
very much a success, both with
critics and our audiences.
It was reviewed by both the
local and national
production (following
press, getting a
on from Beached in
four-star review
2014), we are now
from The Stage,
There’s a lot to working on plans to
which described
further develop our
identify with
the production as
commitment to
and it’s often
“impressive”. They
new writing.
very funny.
also said it had
To this end, we
“strong, gimmickhave created a new
free story-telling” and “works both writing programme called Roar!.
thoughtfully and entertainingly.
Roar! helps writers develop
There’s a lot to identify with and
the plays they are working on,
it’s often very funny.”
through mentoring and also
The Guardian’s distinguished
script-in-hand performances
theatre critic Michael Billington
by professional actors, so they
said the piece had “angst-ridden
can hear their work spoken and
gaiety”, and “the virtue of
performed. Roar! has already
reversing the usual stereotypes”.
helped writers, both new and midHe also described The Marlowe
career, get their work off the page
Theatre as a “palatial playhouse”
and into performance.
(we are considering using this as
We currently have our first two
our next slogan!).
pieces of work being developed
Among our local reviewers, The
through the Roar! process: plays
Kent Messenger said it included
called Run The Beast Down and
“some proper laugh out loud
Hashtag Bros. We will hopefully
moments”, and Sarah Sturt, the
see at least one of them reach the
Editor of Kent Life magazine wrote
stage sometime this year.
it was a “beautifully nuanced piece
So, theatre-going in Canterbury
of theatre” with “an ensemble cast
is set to become even more
of five equally talented actors”.
interesting, giving audiences the
Of course, having successfully
chance to enjoy new work created
produced our second home-grown in their home city.
Summer 2016 Spotlight
15
cLAIRE SWEENEY
CLAIRE
SWEENEY
Spotlight’s Kate Evans speaks
to Claire Sweeney as she
heads to Canterbury in the
UK tour of Hairspray.
16
Spotlight Summer 2016
W
hen I catch up with
Claire Sweeney on the
phone one Thursday,
between the matinee and the
evening performance of Hairspray,
she sounds remarkably chipper for
someone who’s been on the road
for several months, with several
more to go: “The tour started in
September, so we’re well into it. We
don’t finish until May, but I’m really
enjoying it.”
Part of the reason for her
enjoyment is her character,
Hairspray’s villainess, Velma von
Tussle: “Velma’s fantastic. She’s
so evil, she’s vile. She’s fat-ist,
she’s everything you shouldn’t be.
She’s hysterical. She’s so bad she’s
funny! She’s great fun to play, I get
to go completely over the top.” Her
fellow cast members also come
in for praise: “They’re fantastic.
They’re really good fun, a really
good fun cast. And they’re young
and vibrant. They’re great.”
Velma’s fantastic.
She’s great fun to
play, I get to go
completely over
the top
Not that Claire has time these
days for socializing with her
fellow cast members. When she’s
not on stage she tries to spend
as much time as possible with
her son, Jaxon, who’s 18 months
old: “I don’t go out partying, I
just want to get home to my baby
really. I’d rather be at home with
him, although he does come on
tour with me.”
Claire is probably best known to
the public for her television work.
She first came to prominence
playing the part of Lindsey
Corkhill in the Channel 4 soap
opera Brookside, as well as
starring roles in dramas such as
Merseybeat and Clocking Off. She’s
also presented several shows, and
was a regular panelist on ITV’s
Loose Women for several years, and
appeared in the first series of both
Celebrity Big Brother and Strictly
Come Dancing.
But although the public may
think of her as a TV star, Claire’s
heart is firmly in the theatre: “I’ve
done a lot of theatre, as well as the
television. I love theatre, I really
love it. It’s the live response, that
instantaneous response that you
get. The audience for Hairspray,
every single night, they go
absolutely crazy, it’s amazing.”
Her theatre career has certainly
encompassed some iconic roles,
ranging from the title role in
Educating Rita to Roxie Hart in
Chicago, as well as the one woman
show Tell Me On A Sunday. Claire
says: “I’ve been dead lucky, I’ve
done some great roles. I think
my favourite was probably Miss
Adelaide in Guys And Dolls, that
was a really special one.”
That latter role involved
her working alongside Patrick
Summer 2016 Spotlight
17
cLAIRE SWEENEY
YOUTH THEATRE
Don’t segregate,
integrate
Hairspray is set in Baltimore,
Maryland in 1962 – at the
height of the US Civil Rights
movement. The story’s
heroine, Tracy Turnblad,
joins the fight for equality,
in defiance of the evil Velma
von Tussle.
Swayze, the late star of
For now, she’s enjoying
the film Dirty Dancing,
her time touring with
of whom Claire says:
Hairspray: “It’s a
“He was wonderful,
It’s a wonderful, wonderful show. People
absolutely amazing.” She
wonderful show think of it as just being
counts working alongside
frothy, and fun, but
with great songs people don’t realise how
him as her best on-stage
experience. However,
amazing it is, and the
and a really
it was that role of Miss
message it has. It’s a
strong message
Adelaide that also led to
wonderful, wonderful
attached to it
what she regards as her
show with great songs
worst: “I fell over in Guys
and a really strong
And Dolls. I had pearls round my neck
message attached to it.” She also
and they snapped and went all over
relishes the chance to see new places
the floor and I fell over them. That was
that her job brings with it: “I haven’t
probably the worst.”
worked in Canterbury before, it’s going
Future roles she has her eye on
to be a first. I’m looking forward to
include Mrs Johnson in Blood Brothers:
it, seeing the town, the architecture.
“It’s just an amazing role, fantastic…I
It’s great to explore a new place. I like
think I prefer musical theatre [to
travelling and getting to see different
straight drama]. I started out as a
places. I worked on cruise liners when
singer, in clubs and things, which was
I was younger, and it’s so nice to travel
great.” Outside of her career, she’s
and get to see different places. An
pretty content: “I’ve had my son so
international tour of Hairspray would
that’s my dream. Box ticked. I just want be great!”
to carry on working and providing for
him now.” (Claire split up with Jaxon’s
Hairspray: Monday 25 to Saturday
father a few months after his birth).
30 April
18
Spotlight Summer 2016
Despite the emancipation
of slaves and the promise
of equal rights at the end
of the US Civil War, many
of the southern states who
had fought in defence of
slavery gradually passed
laws which discriminated
against their black
populations, segregating
them from white citizens,
and making it difficult for
them to vote. Although
Maryland hadn’t joined
the Confederacy – despite
being a state in which slave
ownership was common – it
too passed legislation which
discriminated against blacks,
especially in education.
The start of the US Civil
Rights Movement is often
dated to 1955, when Rosa
Parks, a black woman,
refused to give up her seat
on a bus for a white man.
1961, the year before the
action of Hairspray takes
place, saw the start of
the Freedom Rides, when
racially mixed groups of
young people tried to
challenge segregation in the
Deep South, often being met
with violence.
The year after Tracy
Turnblad’s adventures in
Baltimore, 1963 saw the
march to Washington,
which culminated in Martin
Luther King’s ‘I Have A
Dream’ speech.
Creative Chances
Creative opportunities for all ages and
abilities abound at The Marlowe Theatre.
T
hree members of our
time for Bailey.
Marlowe Youth Theatre
He said: “I played Small
took to the main stage
Boy and although I didn’t say
earlier this year in An Inspector
anything, I was on stage a lot.
Calls. Murray
It was exciting and really
Ethel (12), Darcy
cool to see what goes on
Priston (11) and
backstage.”
Bailey Cosby (9)
A new class has been
It was exciting introduced to run alongside
are pictured (left
to right) with
the youth theatre, dance,
and really
Liam Brennan,
acting and playwriting
cool to see
who played the
sessions. The Marlowe
what goes on Access Company, run
Inspector. While
Murray and
in partnership with
backstage
Darcy have some
Canterbury Community
experience of acting in front of
Day Services, is for people
an audience (both have appeared
with learning disabilities and
in our community productions,
will combine drama and dance
and Murray was in The Boy In The
and work towards Stacked, our
Striped Pyjamas), it was the first
community project (see page 9).
In May, local youth theatre
groups from across the south
east will take part in the National
Theatre’s Connections Festival.
Twelve plays will be performed in
The Marlowe Studio and our own
entry is Blackout, written by Davey
Anderson and inspired by the true
story of a young offender.
Our popular summer schools
return this year: Play In A Week
(from 25 July), for children
aged eight to 11, will explore the
shadowy world of Kit Marlowe’s
Canterbury. This will be followed
by a two-week project for older
children called Creed Of Spies.
Exploring Kent’s secret history
of spying, it will incorporate
theatre-making for 11 to 15 yearolds, and a performance for those
aged 16 and over.
For full details on all of the
above, and to book, call the
Box Office on 01227 787787, or
go to marlowetheatre.com.
Places for the Marlowe Access
Company should be booked by
emailing [email protected].
Summer 2016 Spotlight
19
Clockwise from top left: Kate
Rusby, Elvis Costello, Jools
Holland, Mike Scott
(The Waterboys)
and BBC
Introducing.
Striking THE
RIGHT NOTE
Our theatre isn’t just about theatre. We take a
look at The Marlowe’s musical offering.
Like playing
inside a Terry’s
Chocolate
Orange
20
Spotlight Summer 2016
W
hile many people think of
The Marlowe Theatre as a
place to see plays, musicals
and pantomime, the theatre is also
becoming the place to see the best in
live music gigs.
We’re working to bring a range of
leading music artists to perform here,
giving our audiences the chance to see
the best in live music gigs in their city.
Major names who have already
performed on our stage include the
legendary Elvis Costello who graced
our stage prior to playing at the Royal
Albert Hall. We have also welcomed
Van Morrison, Christy Moore, Joan
Armatrading, The Waterboys and Texas
(who played during the Canterbury
Festival), not to mention Jools Holland
who has been a mainstay of the
theatre’s programme for the last few
years. This season, we’ll be welcoming
Billy Ocean and The Hollies, to name
but two.
Artists seem to enjoy playing
here, often preferring our intimate
auditorium to larger music venues
where they have less of a connection
to their audiences. Perhaps our most
memorable compliment came from
leading folk artist Kate Rusby who
described our auditorium as like
“playing inside a Terry’s Chocolate
Orange”.
It’s not only about the famous and
established artists, The Marlowe Studio
is also bringing the best in up-andcoming bands to Canterbury.
We have a long-term relationship
with BBC Radio Kent, who hold annual
concerts in The Marlowe Studio as part
of their BBC Introducing programme
for new bands. A few years ago a duo
from Tunbridge Wells called Slaves
performed in the studio for BBC
Introducing. Last year, they were
nominated for the prestigious Mercury
Music Prize!
Gigs at The Marlowe Theatre are not
a new idea. When the old theatre was
an Odeon Cinema it played host to a
range of star names in the late 1970s,
including The Clash, The Ramones,
Blondie, Joy Division and Ian Dury.
So expect to see this tradition
revived as we bring the best in live
music to Canterbury.
Summer 2016 Spotlight
21
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22
Spotlight Summer 2016
Summer 2016 Spotlight
23
Events
Ten Questions
Talks and tours
Phil
Gallagher
Local boy, Mister Maker and Marlowe
Theatre pantomime favourite Phil answers
our quickfire questionnaire.
1 What was your first appearance on stage?
I played a duck-billed platypus in my infant school
show, when I think I was about four. When I went to
Australia to film for Mister Maker this year, I saw a
real duck-billed platypus for the first time, so I said
thank you to it for the inspiration behind my career!
2 Best onstage experience? The first time I walked
out onto The Marlowe’s stage in Jack And The
Beanstalk, three years ago, because that was the
culmination of all my pantomime dreams.
3 Worst onstage experience? During a performance
of Jack And The Beanstalk I slipped on a plastic egg
and broke two ribs. Very painful.
4 Best thing about Canterbury? Happy memories.
Everywhere I go reminds me of when I was a child or
at university. It’s such a beautiful city, I love it here.
5 When you were a child, what did you want to be
when you grew up? A children’s television presenter!
I’ve followed my dream.
6 Which superpower would you like to have?
I’ve always wanted to be able to fly. Because I used to
have a recurring dream when I was a child that I
was like Superman and I could fly and it was my
happiest dream.
7 Favourite theatre or venue you’ve worked in?
It’s The Marlowe! It has to be, because it’s where my
panto dream came true, and it feels like home to me.
9 What advice would you give to your teenage self?
Change your centre parting earlier than you did!
Other than that, just never give up.
10 Greatest remaining ambition? To be in Star Wars.
I don’t care what I do in Star Wars, I just want to be
in it.
Find out more about our theatre and the
shows you’re seeing by joining us for a show
talk or a tour of the theatre.
Show talks
A Midsummer
Night’s Dream
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Fri 22 Apr, post-show
Northern Ballet’s
Romeo And Juliet
Hairspray
Thu 1 Sep, 6pm
Thu 28 Apr, 6pm
Thu 22 Sep, 6pm
Philharmonia
The Woman In Black
Wed 4 May, 6.15pm
ETO
Local boy:
Phil loves
spending time
in Canterbury
All talks are free, unless specified
Don Giovanni
Fri 6 May, 6.30pm
Iphigénie en Tauride
Sat 7 May, 6.30pm
Gangsta Granny
Thu 3 Nov, 6pm
Glyndebourne
Don Giovanni
Tue 15 Nov, 6.15pm
Madama Butterfly
Wed 16 Nov, 6.15pm
Dick Whittington
Meet the cast
Wed 21 Dec, 6pm, £5 adults,
£3 children
Theatre Tours
Fri 1 Jul, post-show
Show Talk
Mon 2 Jan, 5pm
Sound Of Music
Pride And Prejudice
Thu 28 Jul, 6pm
Thu 2 Feb, post-show
Enjoy a fun and informative
one hour tour of our theatre
where you can learn all about
life backstage. Tickets for
tours can be booked through
our Box Office 01227 787787
or at marlowetheatre.com.
Sat 4 Jun, post 2pm show
Guys And Dolls
Hairspray
Dates: Wed 27 Apr, Wed 25 May,
Wed 22 Jun and Wed 27 Jul, 11.30
am
Tickets: £5
8 How do you relax? Seeing my parents. I go
shopping with my mum, and go walking with
my dad.
24
Spotlight Summer 2016
Summer 2016 Spotlight
25
Discounts for the Marlowe Friends
cabaret Concerts
Enjoy exclusive discounts from our corporate members and offers from local businesses.
LIPSCOMB VOLVO
• Exclusive discounts on the Volvo range
• Five years’ servicing for £500 on New
Car Purchases
• Competitive finance deals
Shaun Matthews 01227 732606
[email protected]
Kent Sport
Sport and fitness for all.
For our offers visit
www.kent.ac.uk/
sports/public
University of Kent,
Sports Centre,
Parkwood Road,
Canterbury
01227 823623
[email protected]
My Canterbury
Get Happy!
SUN 12 JUN
Let Melody-Jane Faulkner
take you on a journey through
the life of one of Hollywood’s
greatest legends – Judy
Garland. Featuring such
classics as The Trolley Song,
I Was Born In a Trunk and of
course, Over The Rainbow.
Memories Of Vienna
SUN 3 JUL
Come with us to the magical
world of Vienna. Enjoy the
glorious melodies of Lehar,
Kalman, Stolz and other
popular composers which
are brought to life for you
by members of the popular
Cameo Opera. This is an
evening which will delight all
lovers of operetta.
You And Me:
Back Again!
SUN 4 SEP
The multi-talented duo of Julie
Paton and Ian Adams return
with more recollections of
the songs and stories from
the shows and revues they
have appeared in. A glittering
evening of show tunes and
anecdotes about the big names
they have worked with over
the years.
All shows start at 7.30pm in The Marlowe Studio. Tickets: £15, The Marlowe Friends £13,
Concessions £14 (bkg fees apply*)
THE MARLOWE FRIENDS EVENTS
Annual Car Treasure Hunt
SUN 8 MAY
Starting from the car park of the Old Gate Inn
at the top of New Dover Road from 2.00pm–
2.30pm. Tickets from June Brewer, tickets
£10 per car (max four people). To book see
Friends outings leaflet.
Annual General Meeting
MON 23 MAY 7.30pm, THE MARLOWE Studio
There will be a short performance by a
Marlowe Young Musician finalist after the
business part of the meeting. Any items for
the agenda to June Brewer by 9 May. See
page 17 of Friends outing leaflet for details.
BuZZLINES
Book any trip with
Buzzlines and get a
£5 voucher
www.buzzlinestravel.co.uk
[email protected]
01303 261870
Canterbury
Cathedral Friends
2 months free trial
membership for new
Cathedral Friends.
01227 865292
Cathedral Lodge
Marlowe Friends receive
10% discount off events
at Canterbury Cathedral
Lodge excluding New
Year’s Eve.
We have a host of events
throughout 2016 for you
to enjoy with family and
friends. How about a full
afternoon tea, followed by
a fascinating behind-thescenes tour of the Cathedral
Stone Mason workshop.
For more details, please call
01227 865350 or email
meet@canterburycathedral
lodge.org
www canterburycathedral
lodge.org
Caxtons
Chartered
SurveyorS
Download the free
MyCanterbury app to get
the most out of your time in
Canterbury.
15% discount (up to a
maximum of £750) for
new clients* instructing
after 1st March 2016 on any
property service provided
by Caxtons.
The Canterbury
Tales Visitor
Attraction
*T&Cs apply.
Visit Caxtons.com to view
full details.
Charles
Bainbridge Estate
Agents
15% Discount on selling fees
for all Marlowe Friends
01227 780227
www.charlesbainbridge.com
Côte Brasserie
Complimentary Kir
Royale for you and your
guests when dining at
Côte Brasserie.
To redeem, show the
Marlowe Friends card
upon arrival. Offer valid
until 31/08/2016 at Côte
Canterbury only. One
Kir Royale per person 18
years or over.
Côte Brasserie Canterbury
2 Longmarket, Parade,
Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2JS
01227 786386
[email protected]
Invites Marlowe Friends
to experience the vivid
recreation of Chaucer’s
famous tales at the
discounted admission
rate of 50%.
Simply present proof of
membership on arrival to
receive your discount.
Offer valid until 31st
January 2017. Not valid for
some special events.
Whitehead
Monckton
Your will can be a very
powerful tool to help your
loved ones. We can offer
a 10% discount on fees to
Marlowe Theatre Friends.
Contact Garry Warman
on 01227 643266
[email protected]
WHOSOFF.com
Extra Month Free for
new Accounts. Use
‘Marlowe’ as promo-code
01227 812930
[email protected]
www.whosoff.com
A Simmonds
Jewellers
5% discount
on all purchases
01227 769842
Crowthers Music
10% discount
on music and CDs
crowthersofcanterbury.
co.uk
Espression
Paint Your Own
Pottery Studio
10% discount
on creatives
espression.co.uk
Fudge Kitchen
10% discount
fudgekitchen.co.uk
Funky Monks
Clothing
10% discount
funkymonksclothing.
co.uk
Madame Oiseau
Fine Chocolates
10% discount
on all chocolates
(purchases over £10)
madame-oiseau.com
Marlowe’s Florist
5% discount
on all flowers
marloweflorist.com
Ortwin Thyssen
Jewellery Maker
30% discount on
any valuations of
jewellery carried
out by a registered
independent valuer
jewellery-maker.co.uk
The Dressing Room
10% discount
on all purchases
dressingroomshop.co.uk
Tim Stubbings
Photography
Minimum 10% discount
timstubbings.co.uk
All discounts on presentation of your Marlowe Friends card. Discounts
and offers are subject to availability and can be withdrawn at any time.
26
Spotlight Summer 2016
Summer 2016 Spotlight
27
THE MARLOWE THEATRE: PROUD OF WHAT WE DO
1.5 MILLION
MORE THAN
57,000 THE MARLOWE STUDIO
tickets for
Since we
opened,
we have
sold over
OVER
MARLOWE
FRIENDS
This palatial
playhouse is now
starting to produce
new plays.
Michael Billington, The Guardian
95,000
more tha
tickets sold
for our main
auditorium since
we opened
£30.82 million
n
now work in the theatre industry
Marlowe Theatre Trainees
11
generated for the
local economy
in 2014/15
people involved in
community workshops
since we opened
240