Winter 2012

WILL yOUNGA SHOWMAN AT HEART

DOGGy DIVA BACKSTAGE WITH PUDSEY

ROBERT BATHURST DOWNTON’S PERFECT GENTLEMAN

AmBASSADOR THEATRE GROUp

HOTLIST LOvIN’ DOLLY’S

9 TO 5

SHAKEN NOT STIRRED

COCKTAIL STYLE

LIvE THE DREAM WITH OUR

xMAS TREATS

pRIScILLA pRESLEy Panto goes glam

cONTENTS 1 DIVINE DEcADENcE Will Young makes an eye-popping

EmCee in Cabaret

3 WHAT A WAy TO mAkE A LIVING Wish fulfilment for women:

Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5

5 LANDmARk THEATRE The compelling and witty

Blue/Orange

7 THE AAAAH fAcTOR In the dressing room with

Ashleigh and Pudsey

9 mAkING THEATRE mAGIc Customers get the red carpet

treatment

10 viva forever! cOmpETITION Win tickets to the Spice

Girls-inspired musical

11 ATG TIckETS A simple way to find that

hot ticket this Autumn

13 STAR GAzING The Royal Court thrills audiences

at the Duke of York’s

15 mIx IT Up A cocktail from one of ATG’s

luxurious theatre bars makes the

perfect accessory

17 GIfT IT Consider Christmas sorted - with

our hand-picked gift experiencesAmBASSADOR GROUp pRODUcTIONS / AmBASSADOR THEATRE GROUp LONDON THEATRES Apollo Victoria 0844 871 7615

The Harold pinter Theatre 0844 871 7622 Donmar Warehouse 0844 871 7624 Duke of york’s Theatre 0844 871 7623

fortune Theatre 0844 871 7626 Lyceum Theatre 0844 871 7615 phoenix Theatre 0844 871 7629 piccadilly Theatre 0844 871 7630

playhouse Theatre 0844 871 7631 Savoy Theatre 0844 871 7687 Trafalgar Studios 0844 871 7632

AmBASSADOR THEATRE GROUp REGIONAL THEATRES Aylesbury Waterside Theatre 0844 871 7607

Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham 0844 871 3011 Theatre Royal Brighton 0844 871 7650 Bristol Hippodrome 0844 871 3012

churchill Theatre Bromley 0844 871 7620 Edinburgh playhouse 0844 871 3014 Leas cliff Hall folkestone 0844 871 3015

kings Theatre Glasgow 0844 871 7648 Theatre Royal Glasgow 0844 871 7647 Grimsby Auditorium 0844 871 3016

Empire Theatre Liverpool 0844 871 3017 palace Theatre & Opera House manchester 0844 871 3018

milton keynes Theatre 0844 871 7652 New Theatre Oxford 0844 871 3020 Richmond Theatre 0844 871 7651

Southport Theatre & convention centre 0844 847 2380 Regent Theatre & Victoria Hall Stoke-on-Trent 0844 871 7649

Sunderland Empire 0844 871 3022 princess Theatre Torquay 0844 871 3023

New Wimbledon Theatre & New Wimbledon Studio 0844 871 7646 Ambassadors cinemas Woking 0844 871 7643

New Victoria Theatre & Rhoda mcGaw Theatre Woking 0844 871 7645 york Grand Opera House 0844 871 3024

Online booking at atgtickets.com

Jessamy Hadley Editor Pat Westwell, Jasper Rees, Nancy Groves, victoria Kingston, Al Senter, Benedict Nightingale, Mark Bouman

Neena Dhillon, David Bradbury, Alice Gimblett contributors Shaun Webb Design Design and Art Direction John Good print

The Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd 39 - 41 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H OAR

The views expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd.

Cover photograph by Christopher Ameruoso

9 To 5 The Musical

Piano bar Piccadilly TheatreThe Royal Court’s Constellations

ATG Magazine / 2

DEc

AD

ENc

E

INTERvIEW

1

t’s been ten years since Pop Idol, when Will Young

crooned his way to triumph in the inaugural

autumn vote-off. Pop careers being what they

are, it is a measure of Young’s genuine talent that

a decade on he is a long way from the talent contest

winner’s dreaded Where Are They Now file. The winner

of two Brit awards, with 6 chart-topping albums under

his belt and singles including Leave Right Now and

Evergreen, his most recent album Echoes entered

the charts at number one in August 2011.

Continuing success in one branch of the business

has not dissuaded Young from tacking across into

musical theatre to take on the role of the

Emcee alongside actress Michelle

Ryan in the West End revival of

Cabaret. ‘It’s just another

medium to perform in.

It’s what I always

wanted to be doing

from ten years

ago when I won

Pop Idol.’

Young was

first approached

about Cabaret

three years ago

by director

Rufus Norris and

producer Bill

Kenwright, who

were seeking to

revive their multi

award-winning 2006

production. ‘They didn’t

know but I have actually always

wanted to play the Emcee. I have

had numerous musical offers over the

years and was holding out and this came along.’

It took a while to get the relevant ducks in a row,

but Young is now in front of an audience in suspenders

and bowler hat, singing the wonderfully sleazy

show-stopping tunes of Kander and Ebb - Willkommen,

The Money Song and Two Ladies. ‘Every song in the

show I love. That is a pull in itself. There isn’t a number

where I think, we’ll just get through this one.’

Cabaret, which opened on Broadway in 1966, is

of course even better known for the Oscar-winning

1972 film starring Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey. Young

has never seen Norris’s or any other stage production.

‘I’m thankful for that. I deliberately didn’t watch the

film again. And I really held back on even listening

to the songs until about couple of weeks before

rehearsals. I didn’t want to fix in my head what I

thought he would be.’

Time spent in the company of the mercurial

showman who supplies a window into a society in

turmoil seems only to have confirmed Young’s original

hunch. ‘The EmCee’s a perfect character for me to do

in my first musical because he is so out there. He goes

from dark to light to sad to angry and he can turn at

any stage. It allows me to express lots of emotions

in a different way to how I express them in my own

songs. I’m not being myself.’

In the film Mrs Henderson Presents (2005) Young

played a stagehand who wanders about the Windmill

Theatre mooning over the girls posing

naked for the Tommies off to war.

‘I remember Stephen Frears

saying to me, ‘Just make

it more normal,’ and I

didn’t get that. ‘I

don’t know what he

means, I need to

be acting in it.’

It wasn’t till I

did Bedlam

(Sky One’s

supernatural

series from

2011) that I

finally got it.’

‘I’ve definitely

grown in

confidence. I’m a

completely different

person to the person I

was then. There is no way

I could have played this role

as a person or as an actor even

two years ago.’ He puts that partly down

to the voice coaching he has been having recently,

but also in Cabaret to the freedom from responsibility

that comes with being part of someone else’s well-oiled

machine rather than being the whole kit and caboodle.

He is relishing it.

‘In pop I do feel more restricted. I’m more of a

brand in pop and I have to be mindful. I’m a singer and

I’m also a businessman and what happened was the

two collided and I didn’t enjoy it. Now I understand

that, I get it. The brilliant thing about doing Cabaret

is I haven’t written the songs, I’m not paying for

the production, I’m not employing everyone.

It’s brilliant.’ ■

Interview Jasper Rees Photography by Jim Marks and Keith Pattison

I HAVE AcTUALLy ALWAyS WANTED TO pLAy THE EmcEE. I have had numerous musical offers over the years and was holding out and this came along.

I

SAVOy THEATRE

cABARETPresented by Bill Kenwright

Directed by Rufus Norris

Choreography by Javier de Frutos

Starring Will Young Michelle Ryan

Until 19 January 2013

Box Office 0844 871 7687

Online booking atatgtickets.com

Divine

Cabaret - Winner of

8 Oscars 7 Baftas 13 Tonys

ATG Magazine / 4

TO HAVE THAT AmOUNT Of TALENT, to have written those songs. Dolly grew up in a one room cabin and now runs her own theme park. If that’s not a feminist, I don’t know what is.

FEATURE

3

here are very few pop songs, really only

two or three, that can move an entire

gender onto the dance floor. Dolly Parton’s

9 to 5 is surely one of them. No feelgood

disco set would be without the Grammy award-winning

workplace anthem, guilty pleasure or not. And if half a

wedding party (or a whole hen do) can be nudged into

action by those opening piano bars, just imagine the

crowds that will form when the UK tour of 9 To 5:

The Musical sidesteps into town.

Launched as part of the Manchester Gets It First

initiative, Natalie Casey knew she wanted in

immediately. ‘I heard they were doing it on Broadway,’

says the former Hollyoaks actress, ‘and I remember

saying to my husband, ‘If this ever comes to London, I

have to do this show.’ I rang my agent every day asking:

‘Have you heard anything? Have they done call-outs.

’ I really was stalking it.’

After her recent stint in the West End run of Abigail’s

Party, Casey must have gone through quite a gear

change from Mike Leigh malaise to Dollywood glee.

Yes and no, she says. ‘I’m a very big fan of late 70s,

early 80s comedies that involve women, both of which

these are.’ What she didn’t bank on was Parton doing

the casting. ‘I noticed they were filming my audition,

which seemed odd. But when I got the part, it was a

nice feeling of ‘Dolly thinks you can do it, so you’d

better be good!’

For those unfamilar with this hilarious story of

friendship, gossip and revenge, let Casey fill you in: ‘It’s

about three very different women (originally played by

Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin) from three very

different walks of life who work for a boss who’s

terribly mean and lazy. Eventually they’ve had enough

and decide they are going to kill him and run the office

themselves instead.’

Hardline feminism masquerading as broad musical

comedy? ‘They should put that on the poster!’ cackles

Casey. ‘We’ll know we’ve really succeeded when you

can be funny and smart and talented and beautiful.’

Like Dolly. ‘Yeah, like Dolly.’

As someone who started in showbusiness at a

young age (her song Chick Chick Chicken charted

when she was just three), Casey has never really done

the 9 to 5 grind. But bad bosses she does know ‘One

particular person who I will not name, someone who

had spent a lot of time in this business!’ she says. ‘It’s

always people who want to be the puppet master

but don’t necessarily have the talent themselves.’

What is her coping strategy? ‘Smoking,’ she jokes.

‘No. The best approach with men who behave like

children is to say, ‘Ah, ahem, yes’ and then do what

you want.’ As opposed to a little kickass - Casey’s love

of martial arts is well documented. ‘I always admire

skills that I don’t possess myself,’ she says matter-of-

factly. ‘Those high kicks that Jackie Chan can do - that

to me is amazing. But if I was trying it, I’d be slipping

my disc. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Hamster more like.’

The Lancashire born 32-year-old is proud of her

Cv, which ranges from West End drama to BBC3

sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.

Nor would she object to dipping into the classical

repertoire like her Two Pints co-star Sheridan

Smith, but is unlikely to catch her in Hedda

Gabler. ‘I don’t think I’m going to get the time

what with rehearsals. But she’s definitely going

to rock along to see me in 9 To 5 - Sheridan’s

a massive Dolly fan!’

Casey herself is more than a little nervous

about meeting Parton. ‘I tell you, when she

walks into the room, it will be one of the

only times someone has to hold my

hand because I’m going to lose it. I

might cry! The amount of people who

I’ve told about working on 9 To 5 -

I’ve never had a response like it.

People just love her, even my

Primus-listening rocker friends.’

Rumour has it that the

66 year-old country superstar

even bakes fudge for her

cast. ‘How is it possible that

she’s a nice person too?’

marvels Casey. ‘To have that

amount of talent, to have written

those songs. Here’s a woman who grew up

in a one room cabin and now runs her own

theme park. If that’s not a feminist, I don’t

know what is.’ ■

Feature by Nancy Groves Photography by Paul Rider

9 TO 5 THE mUSIcAL Written by Patrick Resnick

Music and lyrics by Dolly Parton

Starring Ben Richards Jackie Clune

Natalie Casey Amy Lennox

Bonnie Langford

Featuring Dolly live from her desk

in Dollywood

OpERA HOUSE mANcHESTER 12 - 20 October

Box Office 0844 871 3018

NEW WImBLEDON THEATRE 22 - 27 October

Box Office 0844 871 7646

SUNDERLAND EmpIRE 29 October - 3 November

Box Office 0844 871 3022

NEW VIcTORIA THEATRE WOkING 5 - 10 November

Box Office 0844 871 7645

kING’S THEATRE GLASGOW 12 - 17 November

Box Office 0844 871 7648

REGENT THEATRE STOkE-ON-TRENT19 - 24 November

Box Office 0844 871 7649

EDINBURGH pLAyHOUSE 26 November - 1 December

Box Office 0844 871 3014

NEW THEATRE OxfORD 3 - 8 December

Box Office 0844 871 3020

THEATRE ROyAL BRIGHTON 10 - 15 December

Box Office 0844 871 7650

NEW ALExANDRA THEATRE BIRmINGHAm 17 December - 5 January

Box Office 0844 871 3011

Online booking at atgtickets.com

What a way to make a

LIVINGT

Natalie Casey Jackie Clune Amy Lennox and Ben Richards Dolly Parton

Bonnie Langford

Leave your daily grind

behind!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★SImpLy BRILLIANTWHAT’S ON STAGE

★ ★ ★ ★ABSORBING, pROVOcATIVE AND STImULATINGSUNDAY ExPRESS

★ ★ ★ ★cHILLINGLy BELIEVABLEMAIL ON SUNDAY

★ ★ ★ ★ROBERT BATHURST IS SUpERBDAILY TELEGRAPH

ATG Magazine / 6

IntervIew

Interview by Al Senter Photography by Robert Workman

5

obert Bathurst looks like a chap who’d be

good in a crisis. A gel, overcome by a fit of

the vapours, could do worse than bury her

tear-stained face in Bathurst’s manly chest

with nothing more intimate than a pat on the back to

comfort her. As he points out, Bathurst has played his

share of bastards in his time but whenever he’s called

upon to give us a good guy, he projects the basic

decency of the traditional english gent, witness his

current cameo in Downton Abbey, as a faithful

admirer of Lady edith.

It’s for the audience to decide whether or not

robert Smith, the character which Bathurst plays in

Christopher Luscombe’s electrifying production of

Blue/Orange, wears a white or a black hat. First seen at

the national theatre in 2000, Joe Penhall’s DAzzLING

THREE-HANDER pits Bathurst as a senior consultant

at a psychiatric hospital against his junior colleague

Bruce (Gerard McCarthy) over the treatment given

to Christopher (Oliver wilson), a young black man

claiming to be the son of Idi Amin, the Ugandan

dictator of the 1970s and 80s.

Bathurst read Law at Pembroke College, Cambridge

but perhaps his academic work was only a fig-leaf

behind which he could pursue his aspirations to

become an actor. In an era when the Footlights

company contained such future topliners as emma

thompson and Hugh Laurie, Bathurst climbed the

greasy pole of Footlights politics to become President

and since such a post has seldom been a barrier to

advancement into show business, you would have

thought that stardom beckoned. Bathurst, however,

was unsure about the direction he should take. there

was a brief flirtation with That’s Life ‘my agent wanted

me to go down the tv presenter route’ and a realisation

that he couldn’t be a Footlighter forever. ‘I didn’t want

to be still doing university revue in middle age.’

He eventually landed a role in Michael Frayn’s

Noises Off, then into its lengthy run at the Savoy.

next Bathurst crossed the thames to join the

national theatre company, where he found himself

working with a national theatre institution in the actor

Michael Bryant. ‘He bawled me out one day for poor

posture and bad diction and he told me what was what

in no uncertain terms. I think I was seen in those days

as a bit of university dilettante and it took me several

years to establish myself.’

Following near misses in both Blackadder and

Red Dwarf, Bathurst struck gold with Joking Apart,

an early television credit for Dr Who scribe,

Steven Moffatt. From there he made his

way to Cold Feet, Itv’s addictive yuppie

saga in which he played Mr. Corporate,

something of a target for the other

characters to aim at. ‘Cold Feet rather

happened by stealth,’ he reveals. ‘It

won the Golden rose at Montreux,

took hold of the public and received

very good ratings. ever after, whenever

Itv couldn’t decide whether or not

to order another series, they looked

at the ratings and re-commissioned.

My character, David, was tolerated

at best by the others. He rather tagged along until he

was accepted by the gang.’

One of Bathurst’s recent successes was his

performance as the actor John le Mesurier in a

television biography of the comedy actress, Hattie

Jacques. It was, he stresses, a very special assignment

for him. ‘I was playing a character whom everybody

thought they knew. But that was one of the central

themes of the film - that what we think we know about

actors isn’t necessarily the truth - Hattie’s personal life

being a case in point. I think that there are additional

responsibilities when you play a real life person whose

children and grandchildren are still alive. You have to

remember that what you’re doing is a fictionalised

version of real people’s lives and is not

necessarily the truth.’

Bathurst is coy about naming his particular career R

Written by Joe Penhall

Directed by Christopher Luscombe

A Theatre Royal Brighton Production

Starring Robert Bathurst

NEW VIcTORIA THEATRE WOkING 16 -20 October

Box Office 0844 871 7645

NEW ALExANDRA THEATRE BIRmINGHAm 23 - 27 October

Box Office 0844 871 3011

THE cHURcHILL THEATRE BROmLEy 30 October - 3 November

Box Office 0844 871 7620

THEATRE ROyAL GLASGOW 6 - 10 November

Box Office 0844 871 7647

RIcHmOND THEATRE 13 - 17 November

Box Office 0844 871 7651

OpERA HOUSE mANcHESTER 20 - 24 November

Box Office 0844 871 3018

Online booking at atgtickets.com

goals for fear that he may never achieve them. And,

interestingly, he has strong opinions about the role

of the actor in the theatrical process, a contribution

which, he argues, is sometimes exaggerated.

‘You often hear actors either claiming to have

created a part in a play, say, by tom Stoppard or being

credited with it. I say to myself, no, you didn’t create

a tom Stoppard character, he did.’ says Bathurst. ‘Your

job as an actor is to serve the ideas of the writer. But

a play is not simply a collection of words and the

colour you add to these words as an actor makes the

difference between reading the play at home and

seeing it in performance. If all the audience sees are

the words, then it’s a waste of everybody’s time.’ ■Winner

best neW play

CrItICS’ CIrCLe

evenInG StAnDArD

OLIvIer AwArDS

LandmarkTHEATRE

THE cOmpELLING AND WITTy blue/orange Robert Bathurst in Downton AbbeyImage courtesy of ITV

A GEL, OVERcOmE By A fIT Of THE VApOURS, cOULD DO WORSE THAN BURy

HER TEAR-STAINED fAcE IN BATHURST’S mANLy cHEST WITH NOTHING

mORE INTImATE THAN A pAT ON THE BAck TO cOmfORT HER

ATG Magazine / 8

PrOFILe

7

his year, the panto at new victoria theatre

woking has something unexpected to add

to Dick Whittington. Playing the romantic

lead Alice Fitzwarren, is lovely Ashleigh

Butler, accompanied by her devoted pooch, Pudsey.

After winning Britain’s Got Talent, with a staggering

39% of the votes, and capturing the hearts of an

audience of nearly 15 million, this dynamic duo

haven’t had a moment to put their paws up and relax.

Anyone who has trained dogs knows it’s a

painstaking task. So how long does it take Pudsey to

learn a routine - say The Flintstones? ‘After I’ve chosen

the music and taught him all the tricks - the actual

routine takes about four to five weeks. For the panto,

I shall teach him some tricks and then work them into

short routines.’ It’s obvious she trains with a lot of

love. ‘Oh yes, it’s all reward-based. I can tell when he’s

having an off day and I don’t make him do tricks then.

I can read him like a book. And he can read me the

same. At the panto, he will know it’s a big

performance, and he’ll pick up on my nerves and he’ll

know he has to be a good boy and do his best.’

A very competent and sought-after trainer, Ashleigh

has been winning awards in dog trials with Pudsey,

since she was given him as a puppy at age 11. Since

winning Britain’s Got Talent, there have been photo

shoots, tv appearances, some high-profile

performances: at the epsom Derby, the Queen’s

Diamond Jubilee - and a series of dazzling

appearances in the USA. How did she get

there? Oh, Simon Cowell’s private jet.

‘Simon loves dogs and he has a

special place in his heart for Pudsey. It was

quite surreal going on his jet. when I think

about it now, I think - wow, did I really do that!

It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!’

the panto will be equally exciting, but I point out,

it’s a bit risky, isn’t it? Dick whittington’s cat? ‘I think

it’s not a real cat,’ Ashleigh laughs. ‘But I’m not a

hundred per cent sure about that. If it is a real cat,

then we’ll have a lot of problems!’

will Pudsey suffer from stage fright? with no

hesitation, she shakes her head. ‘no, because he’s

such a show-off. the bigger the crowd, the more he

performs. And it’s a pretty big audience at woking -

1,300.’ A bit daunting for Ashleigh herself? ‘well,it

will be a bit scary, but I’m going with the flow. Lots

of wonderful things have happened recently, but my

family and friends keep me grounded, stop me from

getting a big head. to be honest, the attention we

get is all about Pudsey, so if anyone’s going to

get big-headed, it’s him.’

So can we expect diva behaviour from him?

Demanding luxuries in his dressing room, signing paw

print autographs? ‘I don’t think so,’ she laughs. ‘He’s

pretty normal, though he has had some lovely food

lately. He’s an agility champion, so he’s used to being

in the limelight. WHATEVER HE DOES, HE pUTS A

HUNDRED AND TEN pER cENT INTO IT. HE LOVES

pERfORmING AND HE HAS A LOT Of cONfIDENcE

ON STAGE - HE LOVES THE AppLAUSE. HE’S A

ONcE IN A LIfETImE DOG.’

In Dick Whittington, Ashleigh will be playing the

romantic interest. what will happen, I ask her, when

she falls in love for real? will the young man of her

dreams have to be a dog lover? ‘Oh yes,’ she says

firmly. ‘Dogs are my life. He will have to understand

that Pudsey means everything to me. I want to fall

in love one day, but Pudsey will always come first.’ ■

Interview by Victoria Kingston

AaaahTHE

fAcTOR

TASHLEIGH AND pUDSEy ARE A pANTO DREAm TIckET

AyLESBURy WATERSIDE THEATRE

pETER pAN Starring Russell Grant

8 - 30 Dec 2012Box Office 0844 871 7607

mILTON kEyNES THEATRE

cINDERELLA Starring Louie Spence

7 Dec 2012 - 6 Jan 2013Box Office 0844 871 7652

kING’S THEATRE, GLASGOW

cINDERELLA Starring Karen Dunbar

30 Nov 2012 - 6 Jan 2013Box Office 0844 871 7648

BRISTOL HIppODROmE

ALADDIN Cast to be announced

7 Dec 2012 - 6 Jan 2013Box Office 0844 871 3012

NEW WImBLEDON THEATRE

SNOW WHITE Starring Priscilla Presley

& Warwick Davis 7 Dec 2012 - 13 Jan 2013

Box Office 0844 871 7646

NEW VIcTORIA THEATRE WOkING

DIck WHITTINGTON Starring Ashleigh and Pudsey

7 Dec 2012 - 6 Jan 2013Box Office 0844 871 7645

LIVERpOOL EmpIRE THEATRE

cINDERELLA Starring Coleen Nolan

14 Dec 2012 - 6 Jan 2013Box Office 0844 871 3017

OpERA HOUSE mANcHESTER

pETER pAN Starring David Hasselhoff8 Dec 2012 - 13 Jan 2013

Box Office 0844 871 3018

REGENT THEATRE STOkE-ON-TRENT

cINDERELLA Starring Jonathan Wilkes13 Dec 2012 - 4 Jan 2013

Box Office 0844 871 7649

RIcHmOND THEATRE

ALADDIN Starring Suzanne Shaw

7 Dec 2012 - 13 Jan 2013Box Office 0844 871 7651

fOR fULL cASTING DETAILS & ONLINE BOOkING fOR ALL

pANTOS AcROSS ATG VENUES THIS yEAR

VISIT atgtickets.com

Stop Press! Dallas and Naked Gun superstar Priscilla Presley prepares to enchant audiences in Snow White at the New Wimbledon Theatre‘I have heard such wonderful things about British pantomime, the script is hilarious, my costume

is sensational & I can’t wait to get started & give the people of London my Wicked Queen! What a

wonderful honour to be spending christmas in such a beautiful city & being part of this family tradition.’

9

NEWS

ATG Magazine / 10

pIccADILLy THEATRE

VIVA fOREVER! Book by Jennifer Saunders

Produced by Judy Craymer

27 November 2012 - 1 June 2013

Box Office 0844 871 7630

Online booking atatgtickets.com

Jennifer Saunders (Absolutely Fabulous, French &

Saunders), and Judy Craymer, producer of the world

wide smash-hit musical Mamma Mia!, Viva Forever!

is a wonderfully joyous contemporary musical about

the value of friendship in the face of fame and fortune.

As band member viva follows her dreams to

stardom, Viva Forever! charts her amazing journey

into the world of overnight celebrity. From London to

Spain and back again, as the world judges you, it’s all

about who you really are and who you want to be,

whatever the cost.

We’re offering one lucky winner and three friends

the best seats in the house this December, and we’ll

also treat you to a bit of vIP luxury with complimentary

champagne, programmes and merchandise to make

it a truly UNfORGETTABLE night out.

To get your hands on this amazing prize, simply

answer this question:

WHIcH Of THESE WAS THE SpIcE GIRLS’ DEBUT SINGLE?A WANNABE

B 2 BEcOmE 1

c mAmA

Please return your answer, not forgetting your

name, address and telephone number/ email to

Alice Gimblett, The Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd.,

39 - 41 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0AR

before Friday 26 October 2012. ■

his is your chance to catch the show that

has been the talk of the West End since

its flamboyant launch back in June -

and we’ll help you do it in style! Spice

up your life with an exhilarating and irresistibly funny

tale of love, loyalty and romance. An original story

for our times, inspired by the songs of the Spice

Girls, VIVA fOREVER! HITS ALL THE HIGH NOTES

fOR A fABULOUS fEEL-GOOD NIGHT OUT.

From the award-winning writer and comedienne

COMPETITION

TERmS & cONDITIONSOne winner will be drawn at random

after the closing date. The prize includes

4 tickets (Mon - Thu perfs only) to see

Viva Forever! at the Piccadilly Theatre

plus one bottle of champagne, show

merchandise and two house

programmes. Prize is subject to

availability, non-transferable and

non-redeemable for a cash value.

Not open to employees of Ambassador

Theatre Group Ltd. Editor’s decision

is final.

Melanie Brown Melanie Chisholm Jennifer Saunders Geri Halliwell Judy Craymer Emma Bunton Victoria Beckham at the launch of Viva Forever!

T

The Moonlight Bar Harold Pinter Theatre

The Boards Edinburgh PlayhousePiano Bar New Wimbledon Theatre

interior designer George Couyas to showcase

ATG’s unique theatre architecture - with an elegant,

modern twist.

Improvements in the West End include ergonomically

designed seating at the Fortune Theatre, auditorium

refurbishments at the Harold Pinter Theatre, technical

upgrades at the Duke of York’s and restoration works

at the Phoenix and Piccadilly - all aimed at preserving

these beautiful, historic buildings for future generations.

Regionally, the ‘special occasion’ continues at a new

tea room at Theatre Royal Brighton, a new Box Office

at the Bristol Hippodrome and a transformation of

the Front of House and Box Office areas at the

New Theatre in Oxford. ■

nhancing the theatrical experience for our

customers is about ensuring that every visit

is a special occasion’ said ATG’s Managing

Director of venues, Nick Potter this week,

announcing a thrilling investment of £15 million

into capital projects at the company’s theatres.

The red carpet treatment includes a major overhaul

of Front of House areas across the group. A number

of refurbished luxury bars - Piano Bars at the Piccadilly,

New Wimbledon and Milton Keynes Theatres, the

Moonlight Bar at the Harold Pinter, the Apollo victoria’s

Elixir Bar, the Terrace Bar at the Duke of York’s, The

Ballroom at the Lyceum Theatre, The Boards at the

Edinburgh Playhouse and The Picture Lounge at the

Glasgow King’s Theatre have been redesigned by

E

MagicmAkING THEATRE

AmBASSADOR GROUp pLOUGH mILLIONS INTO cApITAL pROjEcTS

Photography of The Moonlight Bar and Piano Bar by Ben Fisher benfisherphotography.comPhotograph of The Boards by Rob McDougall

t

t

Turn to page 15

to sample some of the cocktails available in ATG’s luxury bars – and for style tips to

go with them!

atg tickets

*Studio 2 has been made possible by a generous donation from Christina Smith

phoenix Theatre 0844 871 7629

GOODNIGHT mISTER TOmA brand new stage adaptation of

michelle magorian’s wonderfully

uplifting tale.

piccadilly Theatre 0844 871 7630

VIVA fOREVER!A fabulous, feel-good story of our

times, inspired by the songs of the

Spice Girls.

Harold pinter Theatre 0844 871 7632

cHORUS Of DISAppROVALRob Brydon stars alongside Nigel Harman and Ashley jensen in

Alan Ayckbourn’s riotous comedy.

Savoy Theatre 0844 871 7687

cABARETInternationally renowned singer

/songwriter Will young and

acclaimed actress michelle Ryan

make their musical theatre debuts.

Trafalgar Studio 1 0844 871 7632

yES, pRImE mINISTER‘The jokes come thick and fast... the writing has a relentless energy’ The Evening Standard

Donmar at Trafalgar Studio 2* 0844 871 7632

THE pROmISEAleksei Arbuzov’s play, in this

new version by penelope Skinner, is a portrayal of youthful hope.

Donmar at Trafalgar Studio 2* 0844 871 7632

THE DANcE Of DEATHStrindberg’s compelling battle of

wills is laced with biting humour in a

new version by conor mcpherson.

Donmar at Trafalgar Studio 2* 0844 871 7632

THE SILENcE Of THE SEAAnthony Weigh casts new light on

Vercors’ testament to the power

of the human spirit.

Lyceum Theatre 0844 871 7615DISNEy’S

THE LION kINGWith a cast of over 40 actors,

singers and dancers.

‘a beautiful dazzle of invention and imagination’ Evening Standard

ATG Magazine / 12

The Old Vic 0844 871 7628

kISS mE kATEAward-winning director Trevor Nunn returns to The Old vic to

direct this dazzling, Tony award-

winning Broadway classic.

BOOk yOUR TIckETS ONLINE AT ATGTIckETS.cOm yOUR ONE STOp SHOp

fortune Theatre 0844 871 7626

THE WOmAN IN BLAckOne of the most exciting and

gripping theatre events ever

staged. ‘a truly nerve-shredding experience’ Daily Mail

Donmar Warehouse 0844 871 7624

BERENIcE Racine’s perfect tragedy of

unfulfilled passion in a new version

by Alan Hollinghurst.

11

THE UNfORGETTABLE ExcITEmENT Of

LIVE THEATRE - GET INTO IT THIS AUTUmN

USING ATGTIckETS.cOm AS yOUR GUIDE

NEW WImBLEDON THEATREpriscilla presley brings some va va voom

to Wimbledon this Christmas in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Apollo Victoria 0844 871 7615

WIckEDThere has never been a

better time to experience

‘the hit musical with brains, heart and courage’ (Sunday Telegraph) as it flies

into its sixth spellbinding year.jUmpy Starring Tamsin Greig & Bel Powley

‘funny, deliciously rude and at times piercingly moving’ Daily Telegraph

cONSTELLATIONS Starring Sally Hawkins & Rafe Spall

‘The town’s new hot ticket’ New York Times

HAROLD pINTER THEATRE Shining a spotlight on backstage intrigues this Autumn is

Rob Brydon who makes his West End debut alongside

Nigel Harman and Ashley jensen in Ayckbourn’s

a Chorus of Disapproval - directed by Trevor Nunn.

SAVOy THEATRE Simply divine decadence at the Savoy Theatre this Autumn in the

person of singer/songwriter Will young who stars in the multi

award-winning production of Cabaret.

pLAyHOUSE THEATRESimon callow returns to the

West End stage in peter Ackroyd’s acclaimed play The Mystery of Charles Dickens - 49 of Dickens’

best loved characters brought to

life by one man in an exhilarating

performance echoing the recitals

that Dickens himself once gave.

pIccADILLy THEATRE The Spice Girls legend lives on in

viva forever! a feel-good new

musical from the award-winning

writer and comedienne jennifer Saunders - an exhilarating and

irresistibly funny tale of love,

loyalty and romance.

playhouse Theatre 0844 871 7631

SpAmALOTKing Arthur and his Knights of

the (very) Round Table have

travelled up and down the length

and breadth of the land in their

quest for the Holy Grail and now

continue their triumphant ride

around London’s West End

‘glorious irresistible silliness’ The Sunday Times

Duke of york’s Theatre 0844 871 7623

DUkE Of yORk’S THEATRE

jUmpy by April De Angelis

Directed by Nina Raine

Starring Tamsin Greig and Bel Powley

Until 3 November 2012

cONSTELLATIONS by Nick Payne

Directed by Michael Longhurst

Starring Sally Hawkins and Rafe Spall

27 November 2012 - 1 June 2013

Box Office 0844 871 7623Online booking at atgtickets.com

ATG Magazine / 14

IntervIew

13

Prometheus) and Sally Hawkins (Jane Eyre, Happy-Go-

Lucky). ‘If I see a more ingenious, touching and

intellectually searching play this year,’ wrote the

telegraph’s Charles Spencer after its January opening,

‘I’ll count myself very lucky.’

‘I love reading and writing about things I don’t know

anything about,’ says Payne. And his love of quirkiness

brought Constellations two very different subjects:

bees, after he’d read that whole hives were inexplicably

dying, and quantum physics, which led him to talk to

cosmologists about their mind-bending theories about

the universe. But he rooted his discoveries in a very

human story about a beekeeper’s love for a Interview by Benedict Nightingale

OR A fILm BUff WHO REmEmBERS

GOING TO THE THEATRE ONLy

TWO OR THREE TImES BEfORE HE

WAS 18, NIck pAyNE IS cERTAINLy

mAkING Up fOR LOST TImE. now 28, he’s

had four plays rapturously received by the critics,

prime among them Constellations, which follows Laura

wade’s Posh and April De Angelis’s Jumpy into

London’s Duke of York’s theatre as part of a season of

transfers from the royal Court. the play turned out to

be one of the biggest hits in its history and the west

end incarnation will star rafe Spall (Pete Versus Life,

fcosmologist who may be suffering from a dangerous

disease. And it’s hard to say what finally happens to

them, as the whims of the universe demonstrate that

there are many possibilities and multiple permutations

to the relationship.

the son of a surveyor and a primary school teacher,

nick Payne grew up in rural Hertfordshire, yet only

discovered the theatre while reading english at York

University, where students were encouraged to stage

their own plays. He did so, was ‘hooked’, and ended

up writing If There Is I Haven’t Found It Yet, which

won him the prestigious George Devine award when

it appeared at the Bush in 2009 - and has now brought

him a new York showing starring Jake Gyllenhaal.

there’s always humour in Payne’s plays, certainly

in Wanderlust, which is about our tendency to divorce

sex from love, and even in Lay Down Your Cross,

a play about bereavement he wrote after seeing

the Iraq docudrama Black Watch. Certainly there’s

humour in Constellations, strange and troubling

though it is, and doubtless there will be in the new

play he’s writing for the Court after receiving the

newly instituted Harold Pinter Prize: ‘It’s about

a missing person investigation, but it might

change, so I can’t say anything more.’ ■

THE ROyAL cOURT’S mAGIcAL

Constellations IS OUT Of

THIS WORLD

GazingSTAR

THE TOWN’S NEW HOT TIckETNEW YORK TIMES

A pITcH-pERfEcT pRODUcTIONDAILY TELEGRAPH

Sally Hawkins & Rafe SpallBel Powley & Tamsin Greigt

Mix IT Up

STYLE

A cOckTAIL fROm ONE Of ATG’S LUxURIOUS THEATRE BARS mAkES THE pERfEcT AccESSORy

15

1 SILk SATIN DRESS From Preen Line net-a-porter.com £610

BLAck VELOUR cLUTcH From Zara £49.99

fLAT VELOUR pUmp WITH SILVER BOW From Zara £25.99

2 DRApED SEQUINNED DRESS From Michael Kors

net-a-porter.com £195

LEOpARD SEQUINNED pOUcH BAG From Louison Paris at Liberty £48

pATENT cOURT SHOE From K&S. ksshoes.de £165

3 SATIN & BROcADE DRESS From victoria Beckham

net-a-porter.com £710

EmBROIDERED cLUTcH From Accessorize £38

SUEDE cOURT SHOES

From Mui Mui muimui.com £420

NEckLAcE From Oliviers Lounge

olivierslounge.co.uk £69

LUxURy THEATRE BARS OpEN pRE-SHOW fOR cOckTAILS! LONDON Elixir Bar Apollo Victoria Moonlight Bar Harold Pinter Theatre Terrace Bar Duke of York’s Theatre The Ballroom Lyceum Theatre

Piano Bar Piccadilly Theatre REGIONS Piano Bar Bristol Hippodrome The Boards Edinburgh Playhouse The Picture Lounge Kings Theatre Glasgow Piano Bar Milton Keynes Theatre Piano Bar New Wimbledon Theatre

ATG Magazine / 16

R & R SpRITzMartini Rossato, raspberry

liqueur, Prosecco

GIN GARDENGin, fresh lime juice & sugar,

fresh mint, elderflower, apple

& soda water

RASpBERRy & ORANGE pUNcH*

Fresh raspberry puree, fresh

cranberry juice, fresh orange

juice & passion fruit syrup

*non-alcoholic

All prices quoted are given as a guide only and may be

subject to change by individual retailers

Feature by Mark Bouman

Thanks to Tom Soden, the mixologist at our cocktail shoot

bristolandwessex.co.uk

bordeaux-quay.co.uk

malmaison.com

nickyclarke.com

goape.co.uk

music-stars.co.uk

lomondshooting.co.uk

For details of ATG gift vouchers

and the ATG Theatre Card

visit atgtickets.com

Feature by Neena Dhillon

ATG Magazine / 18

GOING OUT

The stunning countryside surrounding Bristol makes

this location an ideal base from which to send

someone special on the trip of a lifetime. So why not

invest in a voucher for a trial flying lesson at the Bristol

& Wessex Aeroplane Club? After a 10-minute briefing

in which they’ll learn about the controls of a nifty light

aircraft, trainee pilots take to the skies with a

qualified instructor for 50 minutes of flying

heaven. Family and friends are welcome to

come along and capture the moment on

camera, with time afterwards to relax and relive

the experience in the club’s café and bar.

For those who prefer to keep their feet firmly

on the ground, Bordeaux Quay Cookery School

offers an impressive

choice of popular

adult courses all

available to the lucky

recipients of handy

gift vouchers. Foodies

are bound to be

bowled over by the

fun-packed Tapas and

Wine session, run once

a month on Saturdays,

during which a

professional chef shows participants how to conjure

up seven tasty tapas dishes, with quality regional wines

matched to each small plate. Alternatively they can

plump for crafting delicious artisan breads from scratch

in the Baking Mad session, run on selected Sundays

through the winter.

A multi-award-winning hotel group, Malmaison is

renowned for its combination of innovatively designed

properties, hip restaurants, slinky accommodation

and urban spas. Set in a gloriously converted former

Royal Mail building, the Birmingham Mal houses 189

guest rooms, a top-notch brasserie, cocktail bar and

Le Petit Spa all under one iconic roof, situated in the

fashionable Mailbox retail complex. With values starting

at £25, Mal gift vouchers can be used in any of the

boutique hotel’s facilities, meaning you can treat a

loved one to the option of sleeping, dining, drinking

or pampering themselves in style.

A humble haircut may not seem the most obvious

choice when it comes to splashing out on a present.

Yet at Nicky Clarke salons, including the busy site in

Birmingham’s Mailbox, specially formulated gift

experiences take hairstyling to a new level. Packages

include everything from champagne on arrival to a

fabulous new cut and colour to the presentation of

two Nicky Clarke styling products to take home. A truly

memorable makeover for those who love their locks.

Journey just outside Birmingham to an area of

outstanding natural beauty at Cannock Chase,

Staffordshire, for a family outing with an exciting twist.

Here you can hop aboard a self-balancing electric

segway to explore the lush forest trails of Go Ape on

two wheels, following some quick instruction from the

experts. Anyone can join in the fun provided they are

aged over 10 - and Go Ape gift vouchers are a great

way of bringing the adventure one step closer to

those who like heading off the beaten track.

Know someone who loves to sing, be it the latest

chart hits, golden oldies or musical numbers? Then

make their day by giving them a MusicStars gift

voucher, transforming them into legendary recording

artists for the day. Under expert direction, they’ll

have an opportunity to record their favourite song

in a professional studio followed by a photo session

for their very own CD cover. Different packages at

MusicStars in Glasgow allow for duets and groups

to share the buzz of recording a track.

Sometimes you simply can’t beat the appeal of

the great outdoors in the crisp winter months.

That’s why a private session of clay pigeon shooting

could be just the ticket for those who like the thrill of

hands-on sport. Easily accessible from Glasgow, the

Loch Lomond Shooting School has trained tutors ready

and waiting to personally coach voucher recipients

through a 60-minute lesson in gorgeous Scottish

landscape, with all equipment provided. The school

can also accommodate small groups who want

to celebrate together including birthday parties.

Nothing can beat the flexibility and universal appeal

of theatre vouchers when you’re stuck for the perfect

present. Gift vouchers can be used at ATG’s theatres

in London’s West End and across the country including

all the cities in this feature. Or treat them to an ATG

Theatre Card - the gift that lasts all year - and your

lucky recipients will enjoy priority tickets and great

savings on an exciting array of shows for 12 months,

including critically acclaimed plays, West End

musicals and family pantos. ■

BRISTOL INSpIRES

LIVING IT Up IN BRUm

GLASWEGIAN TREATS

THE GIfT 0f ENTERTAINmENT

SpOIL LOVED ONES AND fRIENDS WITH A GIfT ExpERIENcE THEy’LL NEVER fORGET IN ONE Of OUR LIVELy cITy DESTINATIONS. fROm BIRTHDAyS AND ANNIVERSARIES THROUGH TO cHRISTmAS AND VALENTINE’S, OUR cAREfULLy EDITED SELEcTION Of AcTIVITy-BASED IDEAS IS SURE TO DELIGHT yOUR NEAREST AND DEAREST THIS SEASON.

ITGo Ape Birmingham

Loch Lomond Shooting School GlasgowTapas and Wine Bristol King’s Theatre Glasgow

Malmaison Birmingham