The Roses Theatre April – June 2017 Season
The Roses Theatre are thrilled to announce their new season covering live events, films, workshops, and exhibitions from April to June. This will be the final season introduced by Deborah Rees, Director of The Roses since 2006; she passes on the baton of running the vivacious venue to Sharon Casey who has taken over the helm. The theatre is confident that Sharon will continue providing the high level of entertainment, including exciting live shows, films from all the world and incredible community work, which has come to be expected from The Roses.
Kicking off The Roses’ renowned folk season are two of the UK’s finest singers, songwriters and guitarists, Steve Tilston & Jez Lowe (Tues 4 April, 8.30pm). They have performed together successfully on previous occasions but this is the first time they have written songs together, looking back at the past to extract the best ideas but also to the future to let the music develop anew. May sees the arrival of Californian songwriter Corinne West (Tues 2 May, 8.30pm) whose music evokes the eternal stories of mystic troubadours while speaking to the sonic sensibilities of a modern audience, and Coope Boyes & Simpson (Wed 10 May, 7.30pm) who are returning to their roots with a cappella songs full of social comment.
There’s plenty more live music at The Roses this season to get toes tapping and hearts racing. Firmly established as one of Ireland’s greatest ever entertainers, Dominic Kirwan (Sat 27 May, 7.30pm) hits the road with Lisa Stanley, bringing their own inimitable style to the vast and rich musical heritage of their homeland, mixed with their unique quality as versatile entertainment. The Jive Aces (Fri 2 June, 7.30pm) are renowned for their high energy music and spectacular stage show and this swinging sextet have performed for The Queen and worked with Van Morrison and John Travolta. Formed in 1902, the London Welsh Male Choir (Sat 10 Jun, 7pm) have performed their spine tingling four part harmonies in some of the world’s best venues and now they bring them to Tewkesbury in a special charity performance featuring students of Bredon School, with all proceeds being donated to local charities.
Those who are keen for a trip down memory lane will be thrilled at the many tribute acts that are headed to Tewkesbury. The Quo Experience (Sun 4 June, 7.30pm) is a band with an impressively experienced line up, including Sean Michaels and Dave Crawte who have spent years studying every detail of Rossi and Parfitt’s looks, playing styles and stage performances. The creative force behind the hugely successful Vampires Rock, Steve Steinman, also delivers an all new hit show set in a magical cinema, celebrating the best of the best soundtracks from some of the most Iconic (Thurs 6 April, 7.30pm) movies of all time. In addition, Frank Cognoscenti assumes the persona of Frank Sinatra in That’s Life (Sat 29 April, 7.30pm) down to the finest detail.
Powerful true stories and dreams for the future are revealed through video projection, recorded interviews, original music and interactions with a performer in Mobile (Thurs 15 June, see brochure for times), a contemporary drama piece co-commissioned by Live Theatre and The Marlowe Theatre and set in a caravan. From camping to circuses, The Roses Youth Theatre presents a fresh perspective on Macbeth (Fri 24 & Sat 25 March), Shakespeare’s classic tragedy about power and ambition. Within the big top tent of a circus freak show, ring master Macbeth seeks control of the troupe after a chance encounter with three fortune tellers. With clowns, acrobats, and freaks from the darkest reaches at his disposal, blood will have blood and a barrel of laughs.
The Roses has always encouraged and warmly welcomed all ages to the theatre and this season they have a variety of family shows that everyone will enjoy. Tweedy the clown illustrates an impressive repertoire of comedic talents which have made him one of the most respected and popular clowns the country has to offer, and he appears in Tweedy’s Lost Property (Sat 15 April, 2.30pm). As well as this, chaos and mayhem reign supreme as children’s comedy trio and CBeebies favourites the Three Half Pints swish their swords, buff their boots and flourish their feathers in their most ridiculous adventure yet: The Three Musketeers (Tues 30 May, 2.30pm).
Adding the glitz and glamour of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing to this season is Pasha Kovalev: Let’s Dance the Night Away (Thurs 25 May, 7.30pm) with his fantastic dancers and students from Amy Bastin Dance School; the audience can expect all of their favourite dances, stunning costumes, great music, chat and fun for all of the family. The young and young at heart will also enjoy Alice in Wonderland (Fri 21 April, 7pm), performed by Ballet Theatre UK, with its whimsical flights of the imagination, eclectic music and joyful dance. For those who love to lose themselves in fairytales comes another magical ballet in the form of Ballet Cymru’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Fri 16 June, 7.30pm). This award winning company challenges its dancers to interpret some of the finest characters in literature and their stunning, funny and heart warming version of Shakespeare’s play has an abundance of humour, breathtaking choreography, Mendelssohn’s joyous music and enchanting costumes.
Audiences are advised to keep an eye out for the tricky time travelling magic duo Morgan and West (Fri 23 June, 7.30pm) as they present an evening chock full of jaw dropping, brain bursting, gasp eliciting feats of magic. They have fooled Penn & Teller (Fool Us ITV1), competed to be the Next Great Magician (ITV1), and even attempted to escape The Slammer (CBBC). These dashing chaps offer up a plateful of illusion and impossibility, all served with wit, charm and no small amount of panache.
This season also offers a variety of live screenings of shows, including performances from the National Theatre, the RSC and The Metropolitan Opera. Daniel Radcliffe stars in Tom Stoppard’s brilliantly funny comedy, NT Live: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (Sun 23 April, 7pm), Angus Jackson directs Shakespeare’s epic political tragedy, RSC Live: Julius Caesar (Wed 26 April, 7pm) and audiences can also enjoy Michelangelo’s beautiful and diverse works, from the print and drawing rooms of Europe through the great chapels and museums of Florence, Rome and the Vatican, all featured in Michelangelo: Love and Death (Tues 13 June, 7.30pm).
The upcoming film programme is bursting at the seams with blockbusters, foreign films, and the return of the hugely popular Magic Of Cinema season, to name but a few. History aficionados will enjoy Hidden Figures (Mon 27 – Wed 29 March) which presents a rousing true story of a group of brilliant female African-American mathematicians who were the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, and A Quiet Passion (Tues 25 – Thurs 27 April), a lovingly crafted biopic that tells the story of 19th century American poet Emily Dickinson.
The long anticipated remake of the classic fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast (Fri 14 – Sun 23 April), hits The Roses’ screen with a widened mythology and an all star cast led by Emma Watson and Dan Stevens as Belle and the Beast, Brie Larson and Tom Hiddleston star in a re-imagining of the origin of the mythic Kong in the compelling, original adventure Kong: Skull Island (Sat 15 April – Wed 19 April), and Marvel’s latest release sees the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 (Fri 26 May –Thurs 1 June) fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage.
There are plenty of opportunities to get involved at the theatre this season, including special events exclusively for adults. The Roses invites visitors to dress up in their finest party attire and try their luck at their glamorous Cocktail & Casino Night (Thurs 4 May, 7.30pm). This Casino Royale themed evening features roulette and blackjack tables, luscious cocktails and the chance to win a bottle of bubbly. In addition, Ginformation (Fri 29 May, 7.45pm) is a journey through the aromatic and flavoursome world of gin and accompanying tonics. This will be the perfect night for gin lovers, but also for those who need convincing on the joys of gin.
As well as the monthly quiz nights, poetry group, open mic sessions, and weekly choir, there are plenty of new and exciting workshops to get stuck into. The Alley Cat Mosaic and Painting Workshop (Tues 11 April, 10am & 1pm), which coincides with the Project Alleycat exhibition, will see participants create their own Tewkesbury cat to be displayed, supporting the Alleycats regeneration project for the town. In addition, families are invited to participate together in Stand Up! Or Sit Down... (Thurs 20 April, 2pm) as they play drama games and discover their inner child in a relaxed comedy workshop.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at box office on 01684 295074, online at www.rosestheatre.org, or in person at the theatre.
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