seeing theatre in a new light
Sky Arts (channel 11) bring some of the most popular recorded stage shows to your home this Christmas. You can see LES MISERABLES – The Staged Concert on Christmas Eve at 7.30pm, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at the Royal Albert Hall on 27th December at 4.15pm, and the 25th anniversary production of MISS SAIGON on 27th December at 10.00pm.
Sandwiched between those latter two will be Cameron Mackintosh – The First 50 Years, a profile of the noted producer, on 27 December at 7.00 pm.
David Byrne’s AMERICAN UTOPIA is broadcast on Saturday December 18th at 6.00pm (UK time) on Sky Arts Freeview channel (11)
Starting as a 2018 album that Byrne, of Talking Heads fame saw become a chart-topper and the following year was used as the bais for a stage presentation, opening on Broadway in October 2019 to unanimously positive reviews.
The concert utilises the music from the album and blends them with the rest of Byrne’s catalogue of material from his time with Talking Heads to his solo work. The show’s choreography and musical staging are by Annie-B Parson.
AMERICAN UTOPIA will be broadcast on Sky Arts (channel 11) on Saturday 18th December at 6pm
After its 2019 tour & sell-out run at HOME Manchester, the acclaimed SPARKPLUG by David Judge will be aired on Monday 31st May at 10pm BST on Sky Arts Freeview channel (channel 11).
Manchester-based Box of Tricks is an innovative young theatre company whose Executive Producer is Max Emmerson, the first winner of the Anthony Field Producer Prize at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in 2015.
I am sure that SPARKPLUG will be worth staying in for!
This coming Sunday, 18 April at 9pm, Sky Arts’ Freeview Channel screens the Almeida’s hit from earlier this year, HYMN. Starring Adrian Lester (Red Velvet, Hustle) and Danny Sapani (Killing Eve, Les Blancs), HYMN is written by Lolita Chakrabarti (Red Velvet, Life of Pi) and directed by Blanche McIntyre (The Writer).
“Man, sometimes it takes a long time to sound like yourself”
Miles Davis
Two men meet at a funeral. Benny is a loner anchored by his wife and children. Gil longs to fulfil his potential. They form a deep bond but as cracks appear in their fragile lives they start to realise that true courage comes in different forms.
Featuring music from Gil and Benny’s lives, Lolita Chakrabarti’s searching, soulful new play asks what it takes to be a good father, brother or son.
With live theatre still paused, Sky Arts Freeview channel is taking the opportunity to re-screen some of the shows which have been enjoyed on their channel. Here are the first shows, updated as more information becomes available.
Early birds and insomniacs can take early morning theatre to a new level when Sky Arts screens THE SOUND OF MUSIC LIVE! on Saturday 27 March at 6.10am
Similarly, dance lovers can set their alarms early on Sunday 28 March to catch Northern Ballet’s CASANOVA at 6.30am
And in the evening on Sunday 28 March you can enjoy BILLY ELLIOT:THE MUSICAL at 9.00pm
On Easter weekend, you can see the National Theatre’s acclaimed ROMEO AND JULIET on Sunday April 4th at 9.00pm
More news as it becomes available.